The George Washington Colonials (1-0) and No. 21 Maryland Terrapins (1-0) meet Thursday night at XFINITY Center in College Park, Md. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the George Washington vs. Maryland odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
The Colonials opened the season by edging St. Francis (PA) Tuesday night by a 75-72 score, failing to cover a 6.5 points as the Over connected. G Joseph Bamisile went for 20 points, while G Brendan Adams led the way with 22 points.
The Terrapins topped Quinnipiac by an 83-69 count, but UMD didn’t come close to covering the 23-point spread as the Over cashed. The Terps had five players in double digits, and star G Eric Ayala managed 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a steal with three 3-pointers.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
George Washington at Maryland odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:50 a.m. ET.
- Money line: George Washington +900 (bet $100 to win $900) | Maryland -2000 (bet $2,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): George Washington +18.5 (-107) | Maryland -18.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 138.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
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George Washington at Maryland odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Maryland 81, George Washington 65
Money line
Maryland (-2000) will cost you $20 for every $1 won, and over the long haul that’s not a recommended betting strategy. It’s especially risky behavior early in the season when we see several big-time upsets while teams are getting settled in.
AVOID, and look to the spread.
Against the spread
GEORGE WASHINGTON +18.5 (-107) is a recommended play, even though the Colonials looked sluggish against the Red Flash in the opener.
Maryland -18.5 (-115) let Quinnipiac hang around most of the evening, and the Bobcats even outscored the Terps 44-42 in the second half. Maryland is a Top 25 team, and will be a contender for the Big Ten title this season. But look for the Colonials to hang around like the Bobcats did in the opener.
Over/Under
OVER 138.5 (-107) is the way to go. Maryland raced to 83 points in the opening game, shooting 49% from the field, while knocking down six triples. If the Terps can chop down the turnovers and make more free throws, they could be even more prolific. Both teams hit the Over in their openers, and they’ll do so again Thursday.
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