The Oregon Ducks take on the Maryland Terrapins on Tuesday evening in a Big Ten Tournament college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 5:00 p.m. ET in Chicago, Illinois.
The Ducks are listed as 4.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total set at O/U 138.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this Big Ten Tournament college basketball matchup.
Maryland vs. Oregon prediction, preview
This has been by far the worst season under Dana Altman at Oregon. In 14 seasons under Altman, Oregon has made the NCAA Tournament 10 times. In the other four seasons, they made the NIT. Altman had never lost more than 15 games in a season at Oregon until this season, where he has lost 19 games. The injury to guard Jackson Shelstad just before Big Ten play started certainly didn’t help. He was the primary creator for Oregon offensively, and his absence has been felt. Oregon’s leading scorer this season has been seven-foot center Nate Bittle. Bittle also leads the team in assists. The offense has largely been run through the big man since Shelstad went down for the season. This has been a lost season for Dana Altman, but at least one win in the Big Ten Tournament would be better than nothing.
Maryland had a dismal 4-16 record in Big Ten play this season, the second-worst record in the conference. The Terrapins lost six of their last seven games down the stretch and have no momentum coming into the conference tournament. Maryland lacks a single elite scorer. However, down the stretch, freshman guard Andre Mills had some big performances. Senior guard David Coit is also capable of scoring in bunches but is far too inconsistent. Maryland ranks outside the top 135 in the nation in both offensive and defensive rating, providing little to be excited about.
Maryland vs. Oregon pick
My best bet for this game is for Oregon to cover as 4.5-point favorites. While Maryland ranks outside the top 135 in the nation in both offensive and defensive rating, Oregon ranks 121st in offensive rating and 84th in defensive rating. Oregon is moderately solid defensively and should be able to make it hard on Maryland, especially because the Terrapins lack a strong individual scorer. Maryland was the lowest-scoring team in the Big Ten during the regular season, averaging under 70 points per game. When these teams faced off earlier this season, Oregon went to Maryland and won by 10 points.
With this game in Chicago, both teams have to travel a decent distance, and it will be tough for their fans to get to the game. That takes away some of the travel disadvantage that Oregon often has in the Big Ten. The Ducks are the better-coached team and have some solidity to hang their hat on defensively. They should win this game and cover the short spread.
