Maryland vs Michigan College Basketball Preview
Maryland and Michigan are set to square off at the Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland, this Sunday.
Last weekend, Michigan fell in disappointing fashion to arch rival Ohio State 77-63. The road defeat came at the worst possible moment for the Wolverines, with the end of the college basketball regular season rapidly approaching.
The lone bright spot in that outing for Michigan was Franz Wagner, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Zavier Simpson put up 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists in the outing – but was also responsible for four of the team’s 12 turnovers.
Generally a pretty efficient squad, Michigan made just 44.6 percent of their field goal attempts against the Buckeyes. The 63 points the Wolverines ultimately scored sat in stark contrast to the 75 they generally put up per game, and the 77 they gave up was notably more than their 68.1 points surrendered on average in 2020.
Fortunately, Michigan bounced back strong with a 82-58 dominant victory over an overmatched Nebraska team on Thursday.
Now they head into the Maryland game with a decent amount of momentum.
The Terrapins, meanwhile, have been having a rough few weeks. Their momentum is non-existent. Overall, Maryland has lost three of its last four games including an embarrassing 78-67 defeat at the hands of a 19-11 Rutgers group.
Jalen Smith was solid in the outing, put up 16 points and 10 rebounds. Anthony Cowan also chipped in 19 points. However, neither player’s production was enough to overcome the team’s horrendous shooting.
On the night, Maryland shot six-of-23 from behind the arc and connected on just 38.5 percent of their shots.
Maryland generally scores 71.4 points per game, so the 67 they put up obviously reflected the team’s poor shooting night. Similarly, the Terrapins give up 64.3 points per game, so the 78 surrendered to the Scarlett Knights loomed.
Heading into this weekend, the big question is: who has the advantage between Michigan and Maryland? As things currently stand, Maryland is a -3.5 point favorite to emerge victorious. Beyond that, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Terrapins a 66.1 percent chance of coming out with a win.
If Maryland plays up to its skill and does not have another terrible shooting night, then Michigan does not stand much of a chance. The Terrapins simply have more raw talent on the roster. But if this shooting slump continues, the Wolverines have a very real shot at victory.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
