College Basketball Picks Today: Can Michigan Bounce Back After 20-Point Home Loss?

Wednesday’s college basketball slate features a pair of ranked matchups, including No. 5 Florida versus No. 7 Alabama and No. 13 Maryland versus No. 17 Michigan.

Will the Wolverines find a way to bounce back from a 20-point home loss to a struggling Illinois team? Or will Maryland continue to roll and win its 10th game in the past 12 outings?

Find out below by reading our best college basketball picks piece, featuring analysis of these teams and their respective matchups!

No. 5 Florida @ No. 7 Alabama Odds

Find the latest odds for the Florida vs Alabama NCAAM matchup in the table below. Click the odds and bet on your favorites at some of the best sportsbooks available today!

PICK: Florida +3.5 (-110) at FanDuel

While Auburn has already won the NCAAM SEC regular-season title, the Florida Gators (12-4 in SEC) and Alabama Crimson Tide (12-4)  still have a shot at securing the No. 2 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

Since these teams only face off once this year (tonight), and only two games are left in the SEC regular season, the winner will get the No. 2 seed. The stakes are high.

Alabama could still win on its home floor, but expect the Gators to keep this one close. Florida is just as impressive on the boards as the Crimson Tide and is one of the few teams that won’t have to change their approach, as they also love to play fast.

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Florida Prediction

Florida has crept to fourth in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin metric. It is only one of two teams in the country that ranks in the top seven in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiencies.

The Gators are efficient on both ends and an elite rebounding team, ranking 12th in total rebounding rate this season. And they do it as a team, with no single player averaging more than 7.7 rebounds per game.

On the defensive end, guarding the 3-point line has been at the forefront of their focus. The Gators rank sixth nationally in opponent 3-point percentage despite playing in the toughest conference in the country. 

Alabama Prediction

While Alabama had a rough start to the season regarding its 3-point shooting, it has seemingly fixed those issues. 

The Crimson Tide have fired at a 42% clip in their past three games, including matchups against Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

However, the defensive end of the floor continues to cause issues; they often sacrifice resistant defense for pace, which can be troublesome against teams as well-balanced as Florida.

Still, star point guard Mark Sears appears to be entering his typical March form, meaning this Tide team can go as far as he takes them.

No. 13 Maryland @ No. 17 Michigan Odds

Find the latest odds for the Maryland vs Michigan NCAAM matchup in the table below. Click the odds and bet on your favorites at some of the best sportsbooks available today!

PICK: Maryland ML (+106) at FanDuel

Michigan’s most significant advantage over teams all season has been its elite frontcourt, which features two seven-footers, including Danny Wolf, a likely first-rounder in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.

Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Maryland also has an uber-talented and physical frontcourt that features JuJu Reese and Derik Queen, who combine (roughly) to score 30 points and pull down 19 rebounds per game.

Michigan turns the ball over entirely too much to expect it to beat the Terps, even on its home floor. This could be the beginning of a slide for the Wolverines.

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Maryland Prediction

The Terrapins are quietly one of the hottest teams in college basketball. 

They have won nine of their past 11 games, and their two losses have come by a total of six points to Ohio State (on the road) and Michigan State (at home).

During that span, the Terps shot just shy of 47% from the field and 39% from 3-point range while holding opponents to a meager 30% clip from deep.

Maryland is one of the most well-balanced teams in the Big Ten, and if it stays this hot, it will have a chance to make a deep NCAA Tournament run later this month.

Michigan Prediction

Time and time again, the Michigan Wolverines have squeaked out narrow, one-possession wins this season.

However, when the Wolverines have lost, it has typically been by double-digits, as evidenced by their most recent 20-point home loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Michigan’s biggest advantage on the floor is with its frontcourt, which features Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf, two talented seven-footers. 

However, the Wolverines’ advantage will be somewhat mitigated against Maryland, which also has elite interior play.