The Syracuse Orange will try to get their first win over a power conference opponent on Saturday as they take on the Maryland Terrapins in the Gotham Classic at the Barclays Center in New York City.
The Terrapins have been playing like an elite tournament team in the early season and I’m taking them to cover in my Syracuse vs. Maryland predictions.
Let’s dig into my full analysis of this matchup in my free college basketball predictions for Saturday, December 21.
Syracuse vs Maryland prediction
My best bet
Maryland -12.5 (-110 at bet365)
My analysis
The national media may not realize it yet, but the Terrapins have established themselves as a threat to go deep in the NCAA Tournament this season. In particular, Maryland has proven it's an elite defensive unit.
While the Terrapins like to play fast, they do a number on opposing players, holding them to just 38.7% shooting while allowing just 60.7 points per game.
As a result, Maryland is off to a 9-2 start. What’s most impressive may be its losses: The Terrapins have taken defeats to the Purdue Boilermakers and Marquette Golden Eagles by a combined nine points. On the other hand, they’ve been blowing out lesser opponents, leading the nation in scoring margin as they outscore the opposition by a massive 27.1 ppg.
It would be one thing if Maryland’s success was only about defense, but the Terrapins have also been a strong offensive force as well. All five of their starters are averaging at least 11 ppg, led by center Derik Queen, who is putting up 17.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
Meanwhile, the Orange are struggling to perform against better teams. While they’ve sometimes played well, Syracuse has lost all five of its games against major conference opponents, and it hasn’t looked dominant against weaker opposition, either.
The Orange needed overtime to beat the Youngstown State Penguins, took down the Colgate Raiders by just two points, and only beat the Le Moyne Dolphins by four at home.
There are many questions about Syracuse, particularly regarding defense and how the coaching staff has managed its rotation. J.J. Starling (19.8 ppg) has been a standout, but overall, the Orange lack consistent scoring options against top opponents and the presence inside to stop players like Queen from dominating in the post.
Syracuse allows opponents to shoot 45.9% from the field, which ranks outside the Top 300 in the nation — a number that would have seemed impossible to believe back in the days of Jim Boeheim and the 2-3 zone. However, Syracuse struggles to defend anywhere on the court, a problem against a Maryland offense shooting 50.3% from the field.
Cuse will have something of a home-court advantage in New York City, where it's often seen as one of the “local” college teams despite being located hours northwest of the Barclays Center.
However, that won’t be enough to overcome the massive gulf between these teams. Maryland should score a dominant marquee win as it builds its resume and gets more consideration as a Top 25 team.
Syracuse vs Maryland same-game parlay
Maryland 12.5
Under 155.5
While Syracuse is a poor defensive team, it has played to the Under in three of its last five games, coming in at lower totals than this one.
The Terrapins, on the other hand, are an elite defensive unit. While they've been hitting the Over on lower totals, they also have come in Under the total for this game in four of their last seven contests and shouldn’t have much trouble containing a mediocre Orange offensive attack.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Syracuse vs Maryland odds
Syracuse vs Maryland live odds
Syracuse vs Maryland opening odds
- Spread: Syracuse +13 | Maryland -13
- Moneyline: Syracuse +750 | Maryland -1200
- Over/Under: Over 156 | Under 156
Odds courtesy of bet365
Syracuse vs Maryland betting trend to know
Maryland is 3-0 ATS in its last three games as a favorite. Find more college basketball betting trends for Syracuse vs. Maryland.
How to watch Syracuse vs Maryland
| Location: | Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY |
| Date: | Saturday, 12-21-2024 |
| Tip-off: | 12:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
Syracuse vs Maryland key injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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