NCAAB · 5 months ago

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Maryland vs Florida Odds, Best Bets

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

The Sweet Sixteen tips off Thursday night with action in the East and West regions. The second game of the evening is a West Region showdown between the top-seeded Florida Gators from the Southeastern Conference and the fourth-seeded Maryland Terrapins from the Big Ten. Florida knocked off UConn and handled Norfolk State to reach this contest, and the Gators have won eight straight games, including the loaded SEC Tournament. Maryland survived a nail-biter against Colorado State and blew out Grand Canyon to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

Maryland vs Florida

Arena: Chase Center
Location: San Francisco, CA
Where to Watch: TBS and TruTV
Time: 7:39 p.m. ET
Spread: Florida -6.5 | Total: 157.5
Moneyline: Florida -255 | Maryland +205

Please be aware that betting odds may change after the publication of this article.

Maryland vs Florida Best Bet: Florida -6.5

The Maryland Terrapins bring a potent one-two punch on the interior to this contest, and Derik Queen is probably the best pro prospect on the court. Still, the Florida Gators have too much firepower and depth at the guard position. Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, and Will Richard are a formidable trio for anyone to handle, and the Terps do not have the physicality or athleticism to match those three on the perimeter. The Gators will throw a lot of bodies at Queen and make him work for every bucket. Late free throws will push the Gators to cover this 6.5-point spread. The SportsGrid model has Florida winning this game by nine points.

Maryland vs Florida Best Total Bet: UNDER 157.5

Both teams are strong on the defensive end, and the Maryland Terrapins have one of the better three-point defenses in the country. A late barrage of points in the Florida versus UConn game pushed it from a sure under to the over, but that likely won’t be repeated. The total has been bet up from an opening line of 152 all the way to 157.5, giving the under value. The SportsGrid model has this game reaching 152 points and comfortably going under.

Florida Best Player Bet: Will Richard OVER 12.5 Points

A lot of attention rightfully gets paid to star guard Clayton Jr., and Martin is no slouch either. Still, the best value for the Gators is with Will Richard, the senior from Georgia. Richard has been a consistent force for the Gators, scoring 13 points or more in seven of nine games. That run includes 30 points against Georgia, 25 against Texas A&M, 17 against Missouri, 16 in a blowout of Alabama, 17 in the SEC Championship Game against Tennessee, and 15 in the win over Connecticut. Maryland will be focused on slowing down Clayton Jr., opening the door for Richard to go over this total.

Maryland Best Player Bet: Derik Queen OVER 8.5 Rebounds

The best player for the Maryland Terrapins is freshman Derik Queen. The superstar do-it-all freshman is a terrific passer with skill that belies his size. This game is figured to be played at a reasonably quick tempo, opening the door for many rebounds. Queen is going to be around the bucket and he’s going to need to be in the game for nearly 40 minutes to keep the Terps in it. Derik Queen is a double-double machine and will surpass his 8.5 rebound total.

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