Maryland vs Washington: Odds, Predictions & Key Insights | January 2, 2025

Game of the Night!

Maryland heads out west Thursday night to face Washington in this Big Ten showdown. Both teams cruised to big wins in their last games, but each has its own hurdles to clear here. This game could come down to which side plays to its strengths and takes over when it matters.

Double celebration today🎉

Happy birthday to Aaron Wiggins & Eric Ayala! pic.twitter.com/fQ9Toy8WRV

— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) January 2, 2025

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Maryland vs Washington Odds

Will Maryland secure their first conference road win of the season in Washington?

Odds 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

Maryland: -6.5 (+100)

Washington: +6.5 (-120)

Total

Over: 149 (-112)

Under: 149 (-108)

Moneyline

Maryland: -260

Washington: +220

Maryland vs Washington Predictions

A spot that has been circled all week in my notes: Maryland at Washington. A good old-fashioned Big Ten matchup that would have your grandfather scratching his head. Maryland is coming off a 15-point win over UMES on Sunday—a game they coasted through, seemingly looking ahead to this Thursday night matchup. Meanwhile, Washington almost beat NJIT by 40 points in their 90-53 win as 25.5-point favorites.

This feels like a great spot to back the Terrapins. Yes, this is an extremely long road trip for them, but I would assume the number already factors in the travel. Plus, Maryland has had all Sunday afternoon to rest and prepare for this matchup.

Maryland has played excellent basketball against top-100 teams. Washington is ranked 114th on Bart Torvik, which is close enough. In four games against top-100 opponents, Maryland is ranked top 40 in both offense and defense. They sit inside the top 50 in adjusted offensive efficiency, adjusted defensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage (eFG%), offensive rebounding, two-point percentage offense, and offensive block percentage. This offense knows how to get inside and find high-percentage shots.

The biggest red flag for Maryland on the road is their perimeter defense, ranked 270th. Fortunately for them, the Huskies do not rely heavily on the three-point shot, nor do they shoot it often, ranking 307th in three-point rate.

Washington, on the other hand, has been battle-tested this season. They have faced five top-100 schools, going 2-3 in those matchups. Their defense ranks in the top 75 against top-100 teams. However, at home this season, the Huskies have struggled to defend the interior, make free throws, and avoid getting their shots blocked. They are ranked 25th in offensive block percentage.

The biggest concern in this matchup is Washington’s strength of schedule, ranked 103rd per Haslametrics. However, Maryland has also faced its share of tests against teams ranked in the top 75, 50, 25, and 10. After essentially checking out of their game against UMES, the Terrapins should be more than ready to secure their first conference road win of the season.