Maryland vs. Minnesota prediction, odds, pick, how to watch Men's College Basketball game - 1/7/2024

We're set for another full slate of Men's College Basketball action as we bring you our prediction and pick for this next matchup between rivals in the Big Ten Conference. The Maryland Terrapins (9-5, 1-2 Big Ten) will take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten) in a close game on the betting lines. Check out our College Basketball odds series for our Maryland-Minnesota prediction and pick.

The Maryland Terrapins are are 1-2 in the conference after dropping games to Indiana, Penn State, and Purdue in their most recent game. Prior to that loss, they had won five games in a row and hung-in with No. 1-ranked Purdue for much of the first half of their game. They'll come into a hostile Minnesota environment looking to improve their conference record.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers made some noise in their most recent game by beating conference rival Michigan in a nail-biting 73-71 game. The road win marked Minnesota's fifth-consecutive victory and they stand with a solid record in Big Ten play. They only have two home losses on the season and will be looking to continue their success against Maryland.

Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: Maryland-Minnesota Odds

Maryland: +1.5 (-102)

Moneyline: +112

Minnesota: -1.5 (-120)

Moneyline: -134

Over: 134.5 (-110)

Under: 134.5 (-110)

How to Watch Maryland vs. Minnesota

Time: 5:30 p.m. ET/ 2:30 p.m. PT

TV: Big Ten Network, fuboTV

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why Maryland Will Cover The Spread

Maryland came into their last contest against Purdue riding a 19-game home winning streak that was effectively snapped. They couldn't come very close to challenging the Boilermakers as they didn't have any answers for Zach Edey's rebounding in the paint. The Terrapins also failed to shoot a reasonable number from behind the arc and it was an uncharacteristic showing for them at home. They won't get much of a break going into a tough Minnesota territory against a strong defensive team.

Jahmir Young has been getting it done for Maryland and he led their last game in points with 26. He's 28th in the country in scoring at the moment and he's shooting a blistering 40% from behind the arc. Their three-point shooting has been spotty for the most part, but they stand to gain a lot of momentum if Young can get himself going from deep. Expect Maryland to play the Gophers tight in half-court situations and even pick them up at full court on a number of occasions as they put the pressure on.

Why Minnesota Will Cover The Spread

Minnesota has yet to see a ranked opponent on the season, but they've been holding up great against their competition thus far. They've won their last six consecutive games with five coming by double-digit margins. Their last game at Michigan was a nail-biter to the final possessions and the Gophers' defense ultimately hung in for the win. The game stats were nearly identical, but the Gophers managed to shoot a slightly better percentage from the field, giving them the final edge. It was a defining win for their season thus far and it could spark some confidence as they head into the deeper part of their conference schedule.

The most impressive aspect of Minnesota's last win was their ability to rally late from a deficit on another Big Ten opponent's home floor. The Big Ten arguably has the most noticeable edge in terms of advantage for the home teams, so expect the Gophers to have the upper hand here if we see a classic low-scoring game. Mike Mitchell Jr. and Dawson Garcia have been their motors thus far, so expect them to lead the charge once again here at home.

Final Maryland-Minnesota Prediction & Pick

This should be a tight game and as the story always goes, we could be in for a low-scoring defensive battle in the Big Ten. Both teams play sound on the defensive end of the floor and they find offense by moving the ball and scoring in rhythm. The home-court advantage should be noticeable for the Gophers, but we like Maryland to cover in the close game. Let's take Minnesota to win for our prediction.

Final Maryland-Minnesota Prediction & Pick: Minnesota Golden Gophers ML (-134)