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There are a lot of things to love about March Madness, which is why it is one of the most wagered events in sports. We are about to see the action get underway, starting with the First Four games, which will fill out the bracket when they are done. Round 1 proper begins on Thursday with a ton of games to choose from. Fans and bettors will be channel hopping as they look to keep up with all that is going on. We will cover as many of the games as possible, but let’s get things rolling with the opening game on Thursday, which sees West Virginia and Maryland meet up in the South Region. Two very evenly matched teams here, but it is the Mountaineers who are in as a slight 2-point favorite. The point total for this one is set at 138. Let’s take a look at the NCAA basketball odds, so you can prepare your betting strategies.

#9 West Virginia Mountaineers Vs #8 Maryland Terrapins Game Info | March Madness Lines

When: Thursday, March 16 at 12:15 PM EST
Where: Legacy Arena, Birmingham
TV: CBS

Why bet on the West Virginia Mountaineers

The Mountaineers closed out the season with a 19-14 record after taking an early exit in the Big 12 Tournament against Kansas, who are considered among the favorites to win the National Championship. Despite that loss, West Virginia is still 4-2 in their last 6 games, but things are not so convincing when you look at this team playing away from home. Yes, teams all play on neutral sites here, but what they do outside their own building matters. In road games played on Thursday’s, the Mountaineers have won just 3 of their last 10 games. While they have covered in 5 of their last 6, they are also just 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played on a Thursday. The OVER has hit in 9 of their last 13 games, but the UNDER is where things tend to go when facing teams from the Big Ten, with 5 of their last 6 versus that conference going UNDER.

Why bet on the Maryland Terrapins

While the Terrapins come into this one as the slight underdog, they do arrive in the tournament with more wins than their opponent, closing things out with a 21-12 record. If there is some cause for concern, though, it has to be that the Terrapins closed things out by losing 3 of their last 4 games. That is not the kind of run you want to be on when heading into your biggest game of the season. Also concerning is that the Terrapins are 0-10 SU in their last 10 games that they started as the underdog. In terms of positives, this is a team that is 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games. There is also a lot to like if you are looking at the UNDER, with all 7 of their last Thursday games going that route, as well as 5 of their last 6 versus the Big 12.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

This is one of those games that almost looks too close to call. My pick here would most likely be on the UNDER, as that definitely seems to be the trend that jumps out on both sides. I also think that Maryland might pull the minor upset. West Virginia Mountaineers 61 Maryland Terrapins 64

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?