Maryland vs Grand Canyon Prediction, Preview & Odds: NCAA Tournament First Round

Originally posted on College Football News
By Pete Fiutak | Last updated Mar 20, 2025 2:12 AM ET

Maryland has the talent and makeup to be a player over the next few weeks.

The darling of the underground circuit - I sort of think Oregon is that team from the Big Ten, but I digress - the Terps last five losses, including the the Ducks - were by four points or fewer going back to early January.

They went on a 13-2 run before getting knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament by Illinois.

Grand Canyon beat Stanford, pushed Georgia hard and got on a roll over the second half of the season going 20-3 including a three-game run to the WAC Championship. This is the program’s fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last five years.

Memphis or Colorado State will get the winner of this on Sunday.

Maryland vs Grand Canyon Game Preview

Maryland vs Grand Canyon How To Watch

Date: Friday, March 21
Venue: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
Time: 4:35 pm ET
TV: TBS
Teams: (13) Grand Canyon (26-7), (4) Maryland (25-8)
Region: West
NCAA Tournament Schedule, Predictions, Previews

Why Grand Canyon Will Win

This isn’t the three-point bombing Grand Canyon team of three years ago.

This bunch forces a ton of takeaways, gets on the move, attacks the rim, and gets to the free throw line as much as anyone in America.

There’s good size with lots to blocks and toughness on the boards, and there’s enough balance to spread the wealth around. It’s one of those teams that just keeps scoring and makes you chase, however …

Why Maryland Will Win

Yeah, you know that thing about Grand Canyon not being into the threes at this point? Crank that up a few notches - the Antelopes are next-level awful from the outside.

They connect on just 31% of their tries from the outside and came up with double-digit threes just twice in the last 18 games.

And yes, they force lots of mistakes, but they also turn the ball over way too often.

Maryland doesn’t commit a lot of fouls, it’s got more scoring pop from all areas, and there’s size - 6-10 Derik Queen and 6-9 Julian Reese are forces on the boards.

Maryland vs Grand Canyon: Who Will Win?

Grand Canyon will keep the pressure on the Terps.

It’ll do what it does and keep on scoring, but it’ll trade too many twos for threes, and Maryland will convert too many turnovers into points.

Maryland vs Grand Canyon Prediction, Betting Lines

Prediction: Maryland 81, Grand Canyon 67
Maryland vs Grand Canyon Betting Lines
BetMGM Line: Maryland -10.5, o/u: 149.5
DraftKings Line: Maryland -10.5, o/u: 150.5
FanDuel Line: Maryland -10.5, o/u: 150.5

ATS Confidence out of 5: 4

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