X
Skip to content

Maryland vs South Carolina Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, and Picks

Undefeated South Carolina Eyeing Fourth Final Four Berth

Maryland Heavy Underdogs Against the Defending Champs

It has been business as usual as South Carolina has won its first three games in the NCAA tournament by an average of 25.7 points per game and didn’t trail in two of the three games.

The Gamecocks are trying to become the first back-to-back champions since UConn won four straight titles from 2012-16. This would be the fourth Final Four appearance for South Carolina, all coming since Dawn Staley became the head coach.

Kamilla Cardoso #10 of the South Carolina Gamecocks and Zia Cooke #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks go for a rebound
Kamilla Cardoso #10 of the South Carolina Gamecocks and Zia Cooke #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks go for a rebound - Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

Maryland has been nearly as dominant, topping Holy Cross, Arizona and Notre Dame by an average of 20.3 points per game. However, now the Terrapins have to face a Gamecock team that has won 41 games in a row in the state of South Carolina.

The teams rank seventh and 13th in scoring offense. The big difference comes on the other end of the court. South Carolina is fourth in scoring offense, allowing 51.1 points per game. In the tournament, the Gamecocks have surrendered no more than 45 points in the first three games. Maryland gives up 68.9 points per game. That number has dropped to 61.3 during the NCAA tournament..

South Carolina is 6-0 against teams ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 poll this season with Maryland 9-4 against ranked teams.

South Carolina is listed as the double-digit favorite in the Greenville Regional 1 title game according to the women’s college basketball odds.

When looking at the women’s basketball news, Maryland got freshman guard Gia Cooke back for the Big Ten tournament after she missed nearly a month of action. The top eight scorers have missed a total of three games this season.

For South Carolina, freshmen Talaysia Cooper and Chloe Kitts returned for the SEC tournament after the final three games during the regular season. Sophomore forward Sania Feagin has missed nine games this season, but the other 10 players averaging more than 10 minutes per game have missed a combined total of 10 games.

South Carolina has been the top-ranked team all season along in both national polls and been the unanimous No. 1 team for the majority of those rankings. Maryland is seventh in both the Associated Press and coaches’ polls.

According to the women’s college basketball lines, South Carolina (-165) continues to be the overwhelming favorite in the odds to win Women’s College Basketball national title. Maryland opened the tournament at +3500 in the championship odds.

Returnees Leading the Way

Maryland was written off after losing five of its top six scorers from a season ago and that included Angel Reese transferring to LSU, Ashley Owusu going to Virginia Tech and Mimi Collins landing at North Carolina State.

This group has gone further than that 2021-22 squad that lost to Stanford in the Sweet 16.

Diamond Miller, Shayne Sellers and Faith Masonius are the only returning players who averaged more than 20 minutes per game last season.

Miller is averaging 19.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in the NCAA tournament. Sellers is contributing 15.3 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists per game while Masonius is putting up 8.7 points per game.

Princeton transfer Abby Meyers (12 points, 2.7 steals), Vanderbilt transfer Brinae Alexander 12.7 points and Florida transfer Lavender Briggs (8.3 points) have teamed with the returning players to lead Maryland within a game of the Final Four.

Head Of the Class

Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke, Laeticia Amihere and Breanna Beal were ranked third, fourth, 10th and 11th in ESPN’s rankings in the Class of 2019 with Boston, Cooke and Amihere also in the top 10 in the All-Star Girls Report rankings.

Even without an NCAA tournament in 2020 because of the global pandemic, the class has a chance to be considered one of the best ever as they go after a second straight national title and a perfect season.

Cooke 12.7 points, Boston 8.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2 blocks, Amihere 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and Beal 6.7 points haven’t been putting up gaudy offensive numbers during the NCAA tournament. With 11 players averaging more than 10 minutes per game, the offensive responsibilities are spread around.

The 6-foot-5 Boston and the 6-foot-4 Amihere team with 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso to make it rather challenging for teams to score inside and that has led to opponents shooting just 34% from the field during the tournament.

Maryland vs South Carolina Head-to-Head

South Carolina leads the series with Maryland 4-2 with wins in three of the last four seasons.

When the teams met in November, Cooke and Boston combined for 34 points and South Carolina got 34 points off the bench in an 81-56 win on the road as the Gamecocks easily covered against the women’s college basketball picks.

Maryland’s last win came in 2018.

Three of the previous four games were decided by single digits before this season’s blowout win.

This will be the first meeting in the NCAA tournament.

Maryland vs South Carolina Game Information

  • Game: Maryland (28-6) vs South Carolina (35-0)
  • Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, SC
  • Day/Time: Monday, March 27, 7 p.m. ET
  • Maryland vs South Carolina Live Stream: TBS

Maryland vs South Carolina Betting Lines


Maryland vs South Carolina Picks and Prediction

Maryland had nine wins against teams ranked in the top 25 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll at the time of the game and only Stanford had more. Still, taking down the mighty Gamecocks is a tall task.

South Carolina can play any style. Maryland is annually among the best offensive teams in the country. The Terrapins have forced 67 turnovers and come up with 36 steals in the first three tournament games. It might be hard to match those numbers against a veteran South Carolina backcourt.

South Carolina is the national leader with an average of nine blocked shots per game. Maryland is 20th nationally in steals.

Did you find this article interesting?

Comments (0)

Featured College Basketball Picks

Related News