Maryland men’s basketball will be underdogs against UNC
By Chris Bengel
For the first time, the No. 2 Maryland men’s basketball team will be underdogs.
According to Vegas Insider, North Carolina is a seven-point favorite. This comes after a 6-0 start from the Terrapins, who are coming off an 80-63 victory over Cleveland State this past Saturday.
The Tar Heels may be ranked below the Terps, but this is a team that was ranked No. 1 before losing to Northern Iowa back on Nov. 21. North Carolina has responded with convincing victories over Northwestern and Kansas State to win the CBE Classic.
Maryland won the CBE Classic last season after upending Arizona State and Iowa State.
The Terps have had a very impressive start to the season, which has featured wins over Georgetown and Rhode Island. Maryland has won all six of their games by no fewer than four points.
Tuesday’s meeting in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge will mark the first time that Maryland will face their former arch rivals since departing the ACC nearly two years ago.
The Tar Heels may also be favored because they will be getting back the services of star guard Marcus Paige. Coach Roy Williams confirmed the news on Monday on ESPNU’s College Basketball Podcast.
This will be a battle of two teams that have an incredible amount of depth on their roster. Much like Maryland, North Carolina can go about nine players deep if necessary.
This is Maryland’s second true test of the young season, but it certainly won’t be their last in non-conference play. The Terps will travel to Madison Square Garden to face No. 18 Connecticut on Dec. 8.