Alabama vs. Maryland NCAA Tournament Round 2: How to watch, odds, and predictions for March Madness

The 2023 NCAA Tournament rolls on with the beginning of the Round of 32 on Saturday, March 18. No. 1 overall seed Alabama is back in action against No. 8 Maryland.

The Crimson Tide had little trouble getting past No. 16 Texas A&M Corpus-Christi, even with star freshman Brandon Miller scoring 0 points. Nick Pringle picked up the slack with 19 points and 15 rebounds.

The Terrapins pulled out a close victory over No. 9 West Virginia to advance into the Round of 32. JuJu Reese paced UMD with 17 points and nine boards.

How to watch Alabama vs. Maryland in the NCAA Tournament Round 2

All of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Tournament games will be broadcast on the CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports networks this year – CBS, TNT, TBS and TruTV.

Alabama vs. Maryland will be the final game of Saturday’s Round of 32 slate and will be played at the Legacy Arena at The BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.

Date: Saturday, March 18
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Channel: TBS
Streaming: NCAA March Madness Live
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill

Alabama vs. Maryland NCAA Tournament Round 2 odds

Per lines on FanDuel Sportsbook, the Crimson Tide are 8.5-point favorites and -385 on the moneyline. Maryland is +300 on the moneyline. The game has an over/under of 143.5.

Alabama Basketball has gone 20-15-0 against the spread this season, while Maryland owns a 22-12-0 record ATS. When a 7.5-point favorite or more, the Crimson Tide are 11-10, while the Terps covered the only game this season they were a 7.5-point underdog or greater.

Both teams have preferred to go under the total this season – Alabama has done so in 19 of 35 games while Maryland has gone under in 23 of their 34 contests.

Alabama vs. Maryland NCAA Tournament Round 2 prediction

There are a number of factors at play when it comes to predicting this game. Although they managed to get the victory over West Virginia, Maryland didn’t look all too promising for a good chunk of the first half. UMD’s leading scorer Jahmir Young had a rough day, scoring just 10 points on 20% shooting. Alabama star Brandon Miller is also due for a bounceback after a 0-point performance as he dealt with a lingering groin injury. Even without his typical contribution, Alabama managed to score 96 points.

Maryland has struggled in true road games this season. While NCAA Tournament games are technically neutral, this matchup will take place in Birmingham. It’s a pseudo-home game for the Tide.

Considering the uncertainty regarding Brandon Miller’s injury status, it’s probably best to stay off this one. If he’s fully good to go, the Tide is the safe pick here, straight up and against the spread. Maryland has not fared well as an underdog this season, and the road environment certainly will not help. Kevin Willard’s squad may cause enough trouble with their top-25 defense to keep the game within reach, but Alabama’s offense is one that overwhelms even good defenses.