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

The Maryland Terrapins defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in a double-overtime thriller on Monday, but their reward is a date with the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Round of 16. South Carolina is favored by 17.5 points, by far the biggest spread on Friday's slate.

Here are my favorite bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds for Maryland vs. South Carolina.

Betting Picks for Maryland vs. South Carolina

South Carolina -17.5 (-114)

While this is undoubtedly a big number for the Gamecocks to cover, I would rather be on the side of the defending champs than against them when they're facing a non-elite opponent.

This is no knock on a rock-solid Maryland squad, but they're simply not in the same tier as South Carolina. Per Bart Torvik, the Gamecocks are the nation's 2nd-best team while the Terrapins are 24th.

Both teams boast top-5adjusted offenses, but Maryland sits just 70th in adjusted defense -- a good bit back from South Carolina's 3rd-best D. The Terrapins will likely have a difficult time slowing down a Gamecocks offense that's 30th in effective field goal percentage, 9th in turnover rate, and 13th offensive rebound rate.

Since losing to UConn in mid-February, SC has won nine straight games by double digits, winning by 40, 28, 16, 12, 21, 18, 19, 60, and 11 points. This means they've won by 18+ points in six of their last nine, and that included doing so against Oklahoma (ninth on Bart Torvik) and Texas (fourth) in a dominant SEC tournament run.

Bart Torvik's projections view this as an accurate spread for South Carolina, and we shouldn't be shocked if they're able to turn this into a lopsided game.

Shyanne Sellers Under 14.5 Points (-114)

If South Carolina is to cover this spread, we should not only expect them to put up a lot of points, but they should be able to limit the Terrapins' scoring output with stifling defense. As noted above, the Gamecocks have a top-3 adjusted defense, and that includes ranking 4th in effective field goal rate allowed (3rd in two-point percentage) and 11th in free throw rate allowed.

Shyanne Sellers is Maryland's second-leading scorer at 14.5 points per game, and it's difficult to see her having an above-average offensive performance under these circumstances. As is, she's scored 15+ points in just 13 of 30 games this season (43.3%).

As an 86.4% free throw shooter who averages 4.2 foul shots per game, some of her best games have come via frequent trips to the charity stripe, something she's less likely to do on Friday. Additionally, Sellers is also a strong shooter from beyond the arc (41.3% three-point percentage), but she shouldn't see as many clean long-distance looks against a defense that's 45th in three-point rate allowed.

This is just a tough all-around matchup for Sellers, leading me to the under on her points prop.

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

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Which bets stand out to you for today's games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest women'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.