2 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for Maryland vs. Florida

Two teams that narrowly survived the first weekend are set to duel Thursday in the Round of 16.

1 seed Florida enters their matchup with 4 seed Maryland as 6.5-point favorites. Can they topple another quality opponent, or does Maryland have more magic in the bag?

We'll dig into that today, laying out my favorite bets for the matchup at FanDuel Sportsbook.

To see thoughts on other games, check out our full men's college basketball tournament predictions page. But for Maryland vs. Florida, here are my favorite bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds.

Betting Picks for Maryland vs. Florida

Maryland +6.5 (-110)

These are two really good teams, and I think we'll see a bit closer of a game than the spread implies.

While Florida is third in KenPom's rankings, Maryland is 10th there. The gap's even smaller at Bart Torvik, which has Florida fourth and Maryland eighth.

To me, this means backing Maryland is more an endorsement of their skill than it is skepticism of Florida.

Maryland's defense, specifically, is the key difference-maker, sitting sixth at KenPom and fifth at Bart Torvik. That defense may not be enough to get them over the hump -- again, Florida is a great team -- but it does give them hope of keeping this game close enough to cover a non-negligible spread.

Walter Clayton Over 19.5 Points (-102)

In crunch time, Walter Clayton has become Florida's offensive focal point. That seems unlikely to change in such a key matchup.

Since the start of the SEC Tournament, Clayton leads the team with 32.8 minutes per game and a whopping 26.5% usage rate. This has allowed him to go over this point total in all but one game.

Part of that is thanks to sniper-like three-point shooting, and Maryland has done a good job of suppressing that this year with a 35.9% three-point attempt rate against, according to Bart Torvik. This leaves open the possibility for regression. The usage in key moments, though, pushes me toward the over here.

You can also click here to get our updated printable Men's College Basketball Tournament bracket for the Round of 16.

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Which bets stand out to you for the upcoming games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest men's college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.