Grand Canyon vs. Maryland Prediction, Odds, Key Players to Watch for NCAA Tournament First Round

Iain MacMillan | Mar 20, 2025

Maryland is favored against Grand Canyon in the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Maryland is a popular team to go on a run in the NCAA Tournament but in order to do so, the Terrapins need to first get past the Grand Canyon Lopes.

Grand Canyon finished in second place in the Western Athletic Conference, but went on a run in the conference tournament, eventually beating the top team, Utah Valley, in the conference championship game. Maryland also finished in second place in the Big Ten, but fell short to Michigan in the tournament semifinal.

Let's take a look at the odds and my best bet for this first round showdown.

Grand Canyon vs. Maryland Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

Spread

• Grand Canyon +10.5 (-115)
• Maryland -10.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Grand Canyon +425
• Maryland -600

Total

• OVER 150.5 (-105)
• UNDER 150.5 (-115)

Grand Canyon vs. Maryland How to Watch

• Date: Friday, March 21
• Game Time: 4:35 PM EST
• Venue: Climate Pledge Arena
• How to Watch (TV): TBS
• Grand Canyon Record: 26-7
• Maryland Record: 25-8

Grand Canyon vs. Maryland Best Prop Bets

Grand Canyon Prop Bet

• Tyon Grant-Foster UNDER 5.5 (-150) via BetMGM

Tyon Grant-Foster is the leading rebounder for Grand Canyon, averaging 6.0 rebounds per game, but he and the rest of the Lopes have a tough rebounding matchup against the Terps. Maryland is s top 80 rebounding team in the country against much more difficult competition. I'll take the UNDER on Grant-Foster's rebounding total.

Maryland Prop Bet

• Ja'Kobi Gillespie OVER 2.5 3-Pointers (-130) via BetMGM

Ja'Kobi Gillespie is is Maryland's top 3-point shooter, including hitting his three-point shots at a rate of 41.2%. Grand Canyon has allowed its opponents to shoot 44.3% from beyond the arc over their last three games so don't be surprised if Gillespie catches fire from 3-point land on Friday.

Grand Canyon vs. Maryland Prediction and Pick

I'm extremely high on Maryland this tournament so I have no fear laying the points on them in the opening round against Grand Canyon. The Terps are a complete team with little to no weaknesses, leaving Grand Canyon no opening to attack.

66.4% of Grand Canyon's shots come from two-point range, the 54th highest rate in the country. Now, they have to face a Maryland team that ranks 53rd in opponent two-point field goal percentage, keeping teams to shooting just 47.6% from two-point range.

If you have concerns about them covering the spread, keep in mind Maryland ranks sixth in the country in average scoring margin, beating teams by an average of 14.7 points per game.

Pick: Maryland -10.5 (-105) via BetMGM

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