Maryland vs Illinois prediction, odds, pick, how to watch

The Maryland Terrapins take on the Illinois Fighting Illini. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Maryland Illinois prediction and pick. Find how to watch Maryland Illinois.

The Illinois Fighting Illini have quietly been a very good team this season, probably better than most people expected. Illinois is 12-3 and has zero bad losses. The Illini's three losses are to Marquette, Tennessee, and Purdue, three teams which received a lot of Final Four buzz before the season began and have all been ranked in the top five at some point in this season. Illinois has beaten Florida Atlantic, a Final Four contender, and the Illini are in the upper tier of the Big Ten standings. They are currently projected to be a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament. That's a terrific body of work for coach Brad Underwood, whose best Illinois team was the No. 1 seed which got shocked by Loyola Chicago in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. After that stinging loss, it was easy to think that Illinois' opportunity to make a run at the Final Four had come and gone. Having Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn and not making the Final Four with a team which won the Big Ten Tournament had to cut very deep for Underwood, but he is a resilient coach who has simply continued to win a lot of games in Champaign. Illinois might not win the Big Ten title this season — Purdue and Wisconsin are both playing well and will be very formidable — but the Illini are having a very strong campaign and should feel very good about where they currently are. The task now is to stay on focus and not squander what this team has been able to accomplish thus far.

Here are the Maryland-Illinois College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Basketball Odds: Maryland-Illinois Odds

Maryland Terrapins: +8.5 (-110)

Illinois Fighting Illini: -8.5 (-110)

Over: 138.5 (-115)

Under: 138.5 (-105)

How To Watch Maryland vs Illinois

Time: 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT

TV: Big Ten Network

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Maryland Could Cover the Spread

The Terrapins looked really bad earlier in the season, but they have gotten better and have a coach — Kevin Willard — who will keep pushing them to improve. Maryland should be able to steadily solidify itself as a factor in the Big Ten. While the Terps might not win this game outright, they can certainly keep the game close enough to cover. Illinois is a good team, but the Illini have wobbled at times in the games they have lost, and they are not what one would call a dominant team. Maryland can certainly be competitive, and its recent win over Michigan should give the team real confidence and belief as it heads into Champaign on a Sunday afternoon.

Why Illinois Could Cover the Spread

The Illini are extremely tough to beat at home. Marquette got them at home, but that's the only team which has won in Champaign this season. Illinois is coming off a solid and rugged performance against Tom Izzo and Michigan State. It was a classic Big Ten slugfest, and Illinois proved to be the better team. The Illini know how to take a punch, but in this game against Maryland, they might throw all the punches with their superior talent and skill.

Final Maryland-Illinois Prediction & Pick

Illinois is a better and more talented team and is playing at home. This one seems clear-cut: Go with the Illini.

Final Maryland-Illinois Prediction & Pick: Illinois -8.5