Updated January 21, 2026
The Big Ten will feature a matchup between the Illinois Fighting Illini and Maryland Terrapins at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Wednesday night. Illinois comes into this contest with a 15-3 overall record and a 6-1 mark in conference play, entering this matchup on a seven-game winning streak. Maryland is still searching for consistency and are huge underdogs on the road here. Before this Big Ten matchup tips off, keep reading to get my Maryland vs Illinois prediction in college hoops.
Pick: | Maryland +18.5 ATS PRO |
Confidence: | 3/5 |
Illinois enters this matchup as a huge favorite, riding a seven-game win streak and carrying a strong 15-3 record. The Illini have been efficient offensively, with Keaton Wagler leading the team in scoring and the Ivisic twins providing size and efficiency inside.
However, head coach Brad Underwood confirmed that senior guard Kylan Boswell will miss several weeks after fracturing his right hand, robbing Illinois of a key perimeter threat who averages 14.3 points per outing. Another concern for Illinois is the uncertain status of Andrej Stojakovic, who exited the most recent game with an injury. Even with these setbacks, Illinois’ depth and home court advantage give them a clear edge going into this conference game.
Maryland’s story this season has been one of inconsistency, but the Terrapins played well in their most recent game. Guard David Coit erupted for 43 points, almost matching a school record and leading the Terps to their first Big Ten win of the campaign over Penn State. Despite the scoring outburst, Maryland still ranks in the lower tier of the conference in most statistical categories and has struggled on the road all season. They will need another huge game from Coit to have a chance to win this contest.
Score Projection: Illinois 85 – Maryland 72 ATS PRO
Win Probability: Illinois 93%, Maryland 7% ATS PRO
Illinois should have no problem winning this contest at home against a Maryland team that has struggled against the bulk of the Big Ten so far this year. With that said, I'm going to take the points with the Terps in this game, as laying almost 20 points in this game goes against my projections for this contest. Look for this game to be decided by 12-15 points and for the Terps to cover as a dog.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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