Sarah Stier/Getty Images. Pictured: Tyler Polley.
#7 Connecticut vs. #10 Maryland Odds
| Projected Spread | Connecticut -2.5 |
| Projected Total | 126.17 |
| Projected ML | Connecticut -133 |
| Time | TBA |
| TV | TBA |
| Projected odds based on our initial PRO Projections. Odds will be added once they’re released. |
How Connecticut & Maryland Match Up
| Connecticut | vs. | Maryland |
| 301 | Tempo | 317 |
| 195 | eFG% | 67 |
| 101 | TO% | 67 |
| 6 | OR% | 327 |
| 228 | FTR | 150 |
| 28 | DeFG% | 101 |
| 126 | DTO% | 289 |
| 248 | DR% | 58 |
| 292 | DFTR | 40 |
| All stats via KenPom. |
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What To Know About Connecticut
The Huskies have battled through the absence of star guard James Bouknight and three separate COVID-19 pauses and are now peaking at the perfect time. They are 14-6 overall, including 11-6 in conference play. Heading into the Big East tournament, UConn won four games in a row and six of its last seven. This team had the best against the spread mark entering the Big East Tournament at 15-5.
Bouknight returned on Feb. 16 to give UConn the elite scorer it needs to win deep into March. Bouknight (20.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 80.3% FT) has scored 20 or more points in three of the past four games. He is capable of putting together a Kemba Walker type run.
Head coach Danny Hurley has the best defensive team in the Big East, leading the conference in adjusted defensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage, and 2-point percentage allowed (KenPom). The Huskies have a deep roster filled with multiple big men that comprise the best defensive block percentage in the Big East. They are also relentless when it comes to defending the perimeter. It’s just an all-around elite defensive team.
The Huskies feature athletic and long defenders such as 6-foot-9 freshman Adama Sanogo, who tallied 16 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in the team’s 69-58 win at Seton Hall. Hurley’s emphasis on on-ball pressure is reflected by three players averaging more than 1.2 steals per game. You better have multiple ball-handlers if you want to face this vaunted defense.
It’s a well-balanced team with an identity that also has a star player it can go to in the clutch when it needs a bucket. That’s an enormous luxury to have in the tournament. And when their shots aren’t falling, they can survive on the offensive backboard, where they rank sixth in the country. The ceiling is the sky for this team so they warrant serious final 4 consideration. – Mike Randle
What To Know About Maryland
The Terps are an all-around solid team, ranking 43rd in adjusted offensive efficiency and 26th defensively. Playing at a pace that ranks 313th, though, they’re not going to blow anyone out of the water. Maryland has played college basketball’s 11th-toughest schedule, which comes with the territory of playing in the Big Ten. That has given them a ton of experience that could help in the Big Dance, however. The Terps lost three of their last four, including a pair in the regular season to lowly Penn State and Northwestern, so they’re unlikely to be a sexy pick to make a deep run in March. But this team has plenty of perimeter talent and flashed its potential in a number of impressive road wins during Big 10 play.
The Terps aren’t deep and don’t run much of anything through the post, but when they are making their outside shots — they own a top-50 three-point rate — they can hang with anybody.
The problem is they are subpar on the offensive glass, so when the shots aren’t falling, it’s lots of one-and-done possessions. This is definitely a high-variance team if you’re looking for a potential squad to pull off an upset or two that not many other bracket builders will pick. They ideally want to avoid teams with excellent post play and would be better off in a game that is played at a faster pace. The defense is very versatile but hardly ever forces turnovers. — Matt Trebby