The Indiana Hoosiers host the Maryland Terrapins tonight in Big Ten College Basketball action. The game is scheduled for a 9:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPNu. Currently the odds for the game have the Hoosiers favored at home by a small margin to get the win.
This is a matchup of Top 25 teams in the Big Ten. Maryland, a newcomer to the conference, has had no problems adjusting to the style of play and has picked up several key wins this season. The Terps were ranked inside the Top 10 at one point this season, but now fall just outside. Maryland has peeled off 17 wins to this point in the year as well, losing only to second-ranked Virginia and at Illinois two weeks ago.
Both teams have just one loss in the conference, but Maryland is tied with Wisconsin with five wins, compared to Indiana's four. The Terps have beaten Rutgers and Michigan State in back-to-back games after losing at Illinois and looked very solid in both games. Maryland can score, rebound and play defense, which has helped them get to this point in the season.
Indiana, though, is very tough to beat on their own floor and they're the top scoring team in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers have held serve so far this year by going 11-1 at Assembly Hall, but they have been pushed in each of their last two games, which were conference wins over Ohio State and Penn State. Maryland is better than both of those clubs and Tom Crean will have his team ready to go in this one.
The guard combination of James Blackmon Jr. and Yogi Ferrell will help them get an edge tonight. Both can score, run the floor well and make the Hoosiers a nice offensive club. Maryland hasn't allowed 80 points in a game all season and the defense has held opponents to shooting just 38 percent from the floor, which ranks second best in the conference.
Indiana is allowing teams to score better than 71 points per game on average and will have to slow down Dez Wells, freshman phenom Melo Trimble and Jake Layman, all three averaging in double digits for the Terps. And as good as Maryland is defensively, if they can score points and be comfortable on the offensive end, this will be a higher scoring game.
Tonight, though, Indiana finds a way to pick up the win at home. The Hoosiers are very good on their own floor and that will be showcased tonight.
Free Pick: Indiana 72, Maryland 67
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