Iowa (14-10) at Maryland (19-6)
- When: Feb 16 2025, 5:00 PM
- Where: XFINITY Center, College Park, MD, USA
- Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
Game Preview
Spread: Maryland -11.0 | Total: 159.0
Maryland looks to keep its momentum rolling as it hosts Iowa in a crucial Big Ten battle on Sunday. The Terrapins are pushing for a higher NCAA Tournament seed, while the Hawkeyes are fighting to stay relevant in the conference standings. With both teams featuring high-powered offenses, this game has the potential to be a high-scoring affair.
Maryland’s Game Plan: Can the Terrapins Dominate Inside?
The No. 25 Terrapins (19-6, 9-5 Big Ten) have been surging lately, and their 83-75 victory over Nebraska on Thursday was another sign that they’re peaking at the right time. The biggest takeaway from that game? Freshman big man Derik Queen played like a star, posting 24 points and 11 rebounds in a dominant effort.
Queen has been a force all season, leading all Division I freshmen with five 20-point, 10-rebound games. Alongside Julian Reese (13.7 PPG, 9.1 RPG), Maryland has one of the most imposing frontcourts in the Big Ten.
Beyond their dominance in the paint, Maryland has developed a well-balanced offensive attack, with Ja’Kobi Gillespie (14.3 PPG, 4.7 APG), Rodney Rice (13.2 PPG), and Selton Miguel (11.8 PPG) providing scoring from the perimeter. The Terrapins have been especially deadly from three-point range, as both Gillespie and Miguel hit 3-of-5 from beyond the arc in their last outing.
The biggest advantage Maryland has? Their defensive intensity and rebounding. If they can control the glass and limit Iowa’s perimeter looks, they’ll be in a great position to not only win but also cover the spread.
Maryland Betting Props:
Maryland Team Total Over 85.5 Points
Derik Queen Over 9.5 Rebounds
Julian Reese Over 15.5 Points
Iowa’s Challenge: Can the Hawkeyes Keep Up Without Freeman?
The Hawkeyes (14-10, 5-8 Big Ten) have been dealing with adversity since leading scorer Owen Freeman (16.7 PPG) was ruled out for the season due to injury. However, they proved they could still compete by storming past Rutgers 84-73 on Wednesday.
Iowa erased a halftime deficit and outscored the Scarlet Knights 51-31 in the second half, thanks to a 46-point combined effort from Josh Dix and Payton Sandfort.
Even without Freeman, the Hawkeyes still have plenty of scoring firepower. Sandfort (16.1 PPG), Dix (14.4 PPG), and Drew Thelwell (10.5 PPG) are capable of lighting up the scoreboard, though Thelwell’s status is uncertain due to an ankle injury. If he sits again, expect Brock Harding to see heavy minutes after his impressive 13-point, 7-assist outing against Rutgers.
The key for Iowa will be three-point shooting. They’ll need to hit shots from beyond the arc consistently because they lack the inside presence to go toe-to-toe with Maryland’s dominant frontcourt.
Iowa Betting Props:
Josh Dix Over 18.5 Points
Iowa Team Total Under 74.5 Points
Final Prediction & Best Bets:
Maryland has too much size, depth, and defensive strength for Iowa to handle. The Hawkeyes might keep it competitive for stretches, but their defensive struggles will allow the Terrapins to pull away late. Maryland covers the spread, and the over is in play if Iowa finds success from three.
🔹 Best Bet: Maryland -11.0
🔹 Bonus Bet: Over 159.0
Projected Final Score: Maryland 88, Iowa 73
- NCAAB Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
