Two of the worst teams in the Big Ten face off in college basketball action Friday night as the Nebraska Cornhuskers host the Maryland Terrapins. Oddsmakers are expecting a close game between these conference cellar-dwellers with the Terps entering as 2-point road favorites.
Here are our best free Maryland vs. Nebraska college basketball picks and predictions for Friday, February 18.
Maryland vs Nebraska odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
College basketball betting lines for this contest opened with the Terps as 1.5-point faves with the Over/Under at 145.5. Early action has come in on, Maryland shifting its line to -2 as of 10:15 a.m. ET.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until tip-off and be sure to check out the full college basketball odds before placing your bets.
Maryland vs Nebraska predictions
Predictions made on 2/18/2022 at 10:25 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Maryland vs Nebraska game info
• Location: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, NE
• Date: Friday, February 18, 2022
• Tip-off: 9:00 p.m. ET
• TV: Big Ten Network
Maryland at Nebraska betting preview
Injuries
Maryland: Eric Ayala G (Questionable), James Graham III F (Out).
Nebraska: Trevor Lakers F (Out), Wilhelm Breidenbach F (Out).
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Over is 14-6 in the Cornhuskers' last 20 games overall. Find more NCAA betting trends for Maryland vs. Nebraska.
Maryland vs Nebraska picks and predictions
Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.
Spread analysis
The Terrapins are fresh off a 62-61 road loss to No. 5 ranked Purdue where they led by as many as 12 points in the second half. Despite that fantastic defensive showing from the Terps, they have now dropped five games in a row and are 3-11 SU (6-8 ATS) in Big Ten play.
There is only one Big Ten team with more losses this season than Maryland, the Nebraska Cornhuskers who they face tonight. The Huskers are coming off a 23-point loss to the Hawkeyes on Sunday and are just 1-13 SU in conference play. That said, they have been exceeding low expectations lately, going 9-4 ATS in their previous 13 contests and picking up their first conference win last week when they defeated Minnesota 78-65.
The Terps leading scorer, Eric Ayala (15.1 points per game), is listed as questionable but he sat out against Purdue and they still played very well with Fatts Russell stepping up with 24 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and three steals.
While there are relatively stark differences in terms of points scored and allowed for these squads, that has mostly do with their pace of play. When it comes to field goal percentage and opponent FG%, there isn't much separating these two. The Huskers have a 43.4 FG% and allow opponents to shoot at a 44.2% clip, while the Terrapins have a 42.7 FG% and limit opponents to a 42.8 FG%.
One area where the Huskers really struggle though is on the boards, where their rebounding rate ranks 351st in the country. They've also been missing shots at the charity stripe lately, which could also play a factor in what is expected to be a relatively close contest. We'll side with the better defensive squad on a short line in what is definitely a "can miss" game tonight.
Prediction: Maryland -2 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
The Huskers might suck but at least they play an exciting brand of basketball, ranking 10th in the nation in adjusted tempo according to KenPom. That fast pace and poor defensive play lead to them sitting outside the Top 300 schools in the country with 79 ppg allowed, with the number jumping up to 82.2 ppg in conference play.
The Terps play at a slower pace and did an excellent job at limiting Purdue on Sunday but have also typically played poorly on the defensive end of the floor. They give up 74.6 ppg on 45.3 FG% in conference play.
With the Over going 14-6 in the Huskers' last 20 games, we're backing the Over again.
Prediction: Over 145.5 (-110)
Best bet
It's tough to pick a side in this one with both schools tough to trust on the spread.
Sure the Terrapins played Purdue tough but they certainly aren't a good team, will be on the road, and might be without their leading scorer. And while the Huskers have gone 7-1 ATS in their last eight home games, most of those contests came with much bigger spreads than tonight and they have just two wins since the start of December.
The total seems like the more reliable play, especially with these two programs combining for 150 points when they previously faced off last year.
Pick: Over 145.5 (-110)
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