#8 Michigan State vs #16 Maryland: Odds, Predictions & Key Insights | February 26, 2025

Michigan State and Maryland meet in a highly anticipated Big Ten showdown, with both teams riding winning streaks. While Maryland has dominated weaker competition, Michigan State has taken down some of the conference’s best. With the Spartans playing elite defense and thriving as an underdog, this game should be much closer than the spread suggests.

Write Up Transparency

Be sure to follow me on X/Twitter @C_marchio2 to get my full card every day! Check my Action profile on the Action app @cmarchio. Picks are always FREE.

Last Month in CBB: 38-48-1 (-12.99 Units)

Tuesday’s Write Ups: 2-0

#8 Michigan State vs #16 Maryland Odds

Can Maryland sneak past a red-hot Michigan State team?

BetOdds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on College Basketball games.

Spread

Michigan State: +4 (-110)

Maryland: -4 (-110)

Total

Over: 150.5 (-103)

Under: 150.5 (-117)

Moneyline

Michigan State: +164

Maryland: -184

#8 Michigan State vs #16 Maryland Best Bet

One of the best matchups on this Wednesday slate features No. 8 Michigan State taking on No. 16 Maryland. The Terrapins opened as 3.5-point favorites, but that number has climbed to 5.5 on some books. Both teams enter on winning streaks—Maryland with four straight, Michigan State with three—but not all streaks are created equal.

Maryland has beaten some of the Big Ten’s weakest teams at home, taking down USC, Iowa (who is dreadful away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena), and Rutgers, while also edging Nebraska on the road. As I like to say, Maryland has been cruising down Easy Street, but now they are entering Toughville—this time, as the home team. Michigan State, meanwhile, has beaten Michigan, Purdue, Illinois, and Oregon in a five-game stretch. Quit sleeping on the Spartans—give me the points.

On the road in conference play, Michigan State has maintained the best defense in the Big Ten, excelling at defending the perimeter, protecting the paint, and blocking shots. Offensively, they lead the conference in second-chance opportunities and getting to the line while maintaining the fifth-best road offense.

MSU Trends ATS

3-0-1 as a road underdog
4-1-1 as an underdog
4-1 against ranked opponents

Many expect Maryland to make noise in March, but it is still February, and they have had an easy stretch. Now, they must face a red-hot Spartan team—the toughest opponent they have hosted since Wisconsin on January 29. The Terrapins boast the top home defense in conference play, excelling at forcing turnovers and defending the paint, but they struggle with second-chance opportunities and giveaways.

Maryland Trends ATS

9-11 after a win
3-4 with four or more days off

Four points is too many for a Michigan State team playing elite basketball. The Spartans still have to navigate the Big Ten’s best down the stretch, but Maryland has had it easy lately. Michigan State’s intensity should be a shock to the Terrapins’ system. Go Green!