After a dominant first round win Thursday, top-seeded Alabama now advances to the Round of 32 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament for a showdown with the Maryland Terrapins. The two teams met previously during the 2021 NCAA Tournament in the second round, a game in which Alabama took home a 96-77 win.
Alabama, the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, opened play Thursday with a 96-75 win over No. 16 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, advancing to the Round of 32 for the first time since the aforementioned 2020-21 season. The Crimson Tide, who were the 2022-23 SEC regular season and tournament champions, now sit at 30-5 overall for the year, a record that included a 16-2 mark in conference play.
Led by head coach Nate Oats, the Crimson Tide are currently averaging 82.2 PPG this season on offense to rank No. 6 nationally, while also allowing 68.5 PPG to opponents. The Crimson Tide are also the nation’s No. 1 team in total and defensive rebounds, and have a deep roster that includes’ names such as SEC Player and Freshman of the Year Brandon Miller, Mark Sears, Noah Clowney, Charles Bediako, SEC Co-Sixth Man of the Year Jahvon Quinerly, and more.
Maryland, a No. 8 seed in the South Region, opened the 2023 NCAA Tournament on Thursday with a close 67-65 win over No. 9 seed West Virginia to advance to the Round of 32 for the first time since that 2021-22 season as well. The Terrapins, who held an 11-9 mark in Big Ten play during the regular season, are now 22-12 overall this season.
Led by head coach Kevin Willard, the Terrapins are one of the Big Ten’s top defensive teams by allowing only 63.2 PPG, while also averaging 70.3 PPG offensively led by guard Jahmir Young at 15.9 PPG. Maryland also has three other double-digit scorers in Hakim Hart, Donta Scott, and Julian Reese, while Donald Carey and Ian Martinez are other prominent names to know for the Terrapins.
Alabama vs Maryland Line, Spread, Over/Under
According to FanDuel, Alabama is an 8.5-point favorite over Maryland as of Friday afternoon, with the over/under at 143.5. The Crimson Tide are -410, while the Terrapins are +315.
Alabama vs Maryland 2023 NCAA Tournament Prediction
As mentioned previously, these two teams faced off in the second round of the NCAA Tournament two years ago, and this matchup could very well play out in a similar way. I’ll say that the Crimson Tide win this matchup as well, with Alabama advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second time in the last three years. Prediction: Alabama 84, Maryland 72
What Channel is the Alabama vs Maryland Game On?
A second round matchup in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament, No. 1 seed Alabama and No. 8 seed Maryland will tip-off at 9:40 PM ET on TBS, with the game being played inside Legacy Arena at BJCC in Birmingham, AL on Saturday, March 18.
Alabama vs Maryland Live Stream
A live stream on fuboTV of the second round NCAA Tournament matchup between Alabama and Maryland can be found here.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change