Wisconsin Dominating with Offensive Efficiency, Maryland Gaining Confidence
Wisconsin Badgers vs Maryland Terrapins: Big Ten Basketball Showdown Prediction
As the Big Ten season continues to unfold, the Wisconsin Badgers (16-4) will travel to College Park to face the Maryland Terrapins (16-5) on January 29, 2025, at 7:00 PM ET. Both teams have been impressive this season, with Wisconsin sitting at No. 17 in the nation and Maryland close behind at No. 20. These two teams met twice last season, with Wisconsin emerging victorious in both contests, including a dominant 87-56 win in the Big Ten Tournament.
Wisconsin Badgers: Riding High on Offensive Efficiency
The Wisconsin Badgers, currently ranked No. 17, have quietly established themselves as one of the Big Ten’s top contenders. Despite often flying under the radar, they have earned a 15th-place spot on KenPom and are in the thick of the conference race with a 6-3 Big Ten record. Wisconsin has won eight of its last nine games, including a commanding 83-55 victory over Nebraska on Sunday, which came after a narrow road loss to UCLA (85-83).
In the win over Nebraska, John Tonje starred with 27 points and five rebounds. The Badgers were red-hot from beyond the arc, shooting 46% on 17-of-37 shooting from three-point range, while holding Nebraska to just 34% shooting from the field.
Wisconsin’s strength lies in its offensive efficiency, ranking 8th nationally in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Badgers have been potent offensively, averaging 82.5 points per game, with an impressive shooting clip of 47.2% from the field and 36.2% from three-point range. Their free-throw shooting has also been stellar, leading the nation at 85.3%.
Tonje, a Missouri transfer, has been a standout performer for the Badgers, averaging 18 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and shooting 39.4% from three-point range. Sophomore John Blackwell has also been an offensive force, contributing 16.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, shooting 48.5% from the field.
On defense, Wisconsin ranks 49th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and allows 70.3 points per game. They have been effective in limiting opposing teams’ shooting, holding opponents to 41.6% from the field and 31.2% from beyond the arc. Wisconsin also ranks in the top 100 for both total rebounding percentage (90th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (33rd).
Maryland Terrapins: Building Momentum After Road Success
The Maryland Terrapins have turned their season around, winning three straight games and five of their last six. Their only loss during this stretch came in a heart-wrenching overtime defeat at Northwestern, where the Wildcats hit a buzzer-beater to seal the win. Maryland entered their January 23rd road game against Illinois with an 0-4 road record, but they managed to secure a 91-70 victory, a much-needed win to prove their ability to perform on the road.
Maryland followed that up with a thrilling 79-78 win over Indiana on Sunday, where Rodney Rice hit a clutch three-pointer with seven seconds remaining. Rice finished with 23 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the field, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. Ja’Kobi Gillespie also contributed 18 points and nine assists, helping Maryland close out the win despite blowing a 10-point lead late in the game.
The Terrapins are ranked 20th on KenPom and have a balanced offensive and defensive approach, ranking 19th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 24th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Maryland averages 83.4 points per game on 48.8% shooting from the field and 36.5% shooting from three-point range. They also have solid free-throw shooting, converting 74.2% of their attempts.
Freshman sensation Derik Queen leads the Terrapins with 15.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 55.5% from the field. Gillespie, a Belmont transfer, has been a consistent contributor, averaging 14.6 points and 4.7 assists while shooting 42.1% from three-point range.
Defensively, Maryland has been solid, allowing just 65.5 points per game and limiting opponents to 41.7% shooting from the field and 31.4% from beyond the arc. The Terps rank 41st in total rebounding percentage and 28th in assist-to-turnover ratio, two key factors that could help them in this matchup.
Conclusion
Both Wisconsin and Maryland have been impressive this season, and this Big Ten matchup could have significant implications for the conference standings. Wisconsin’s offensive efficiency and defensive capabilities give them a slight edge, but Maryland’s talent and recent road successes make them a tough team to overlook. This game should be an exciting and closely contested battle, and fans should be in for an entertaining showdown between two of the Big Ten’s best teams.
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