Maryland vs. Kansas Betting Preview
The first weekend of this year’s NCAA tournament saw an unprecedented number of higher seeds get brought to their knees. Kansas, however, emerged from the wreckage unscathed.
While not perceived as one of the game’s elite in 2015-16, Maryland nonetheless stands in the exact same spot as top-ranked team in the nation. And tomorrow night, the Terrapins get the chance to exchange blows with the best of the best.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv still seem dubious about College Park’s finest chances in Louisville. The Jayhawks are listed as 7-point favorites entering Thursday’s 9:40 p.m. tip, with an over/under total of 144.
As the behemoth of the Big 12, KU’s appeal is obvious. Bill Self’s squad has won 16 games in a row and features numerous standouts on both ends of the floor.
No one, though, carries more importance than Perry Ellis. The senior power forward averages 17 points per contest and six rebounds, all the while displaying the headiness of an NBA veteran. Jake Layman and Robert Carter Jr. will likely draw the gargantuan task of doubling Ellis down low.
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Forcing the ball out of the All-American’s hands, however, merely means more opportunities for Kansas’ loaded backcourt. Juniors Frank Mason and Wayne Selden each average 13 points a tilt, and sophomore Devonte’ Graham does nothing but continue to blossom before our eyes.
Needless to say, Maryland star Melo Trimble will have his hands full. The sophomore guard came up large in the Terps’ first two NCAA tests, pouring in 19 points vs. South Dakota State and 24 against Hawaii. His uncanny ability to reach the foul line is absolutely paramount to the competitiveness of this affair. Should Trimble penetrate KU’s interior with aplomb, things become rather interesting indeed.
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