Maryland
Maryland vs. Florida Prediction, Odds, Key Players to Watch for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
No. 4 seed Maryland gave us the highlight of the first weekend of the 2025 NCAA Tournament as freshman sensation Derik Queen hit a game-winning buzzer-beater to beat No. 12 seed Colorado State in the second round.
The Terrapins are into the second weekend of the tournament, primed to face No. 1 seed Florida, who got a scare in the second round as well against No. 8 seed UConn on Sunday afternoon. Both teams avoided letdowns, and now meet in what should be an entertaining affair on Thursday night.
Who has the edge between these two? Here’s our betting preview.
Spread
Moneyline
Total: 154.5 (Over -115/Under -105)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Maryland
Derik Queen: The freshman hit the aforementioned buzzer-beater, which capped an incredible first weekend of the tournament. He combined to score 29 points and grab 21 rebounds with four assists and two blocks in the two victories. He will face a formidable opponent in Florida, who has plenty of size to challenge him, but can he continue to shine?
Florida
Walter Clayton: The Gators needed all of the First Team All-American’s firepower on Sunday, finishing the game with 23 points and five three-point shots to hold off UConn in a barnburner. The guard started slow but finished with a bevy of clutch shots to send the Gators to the Sweet 16.
This game will be among the most entertaining of the Sweet 16, and I’m going to side with the underdog Terrapins to cover the spread.
Maryland doesn’t run a deep bench, but its starting five can go toe-to-toe with the No. 1 seed in the West Region as the group has the size to challenge Florida on the glass and around the rim while also having the shooting to keep up from the perimeter.
The Terps are not as reliant on the three-point shot but are shooting better than the highly touted Gators from deep, hitting 37% of its shots from distance compared to the Gators 35%. Further, the Florida defense doesn’t pressure the ball as much as the Terps’ relentless defense does. The Terps are top 50 in turnover percentage on defense against the Gators, who are below the national average at 192nd.
Can Maryland win the shot volume battle? While Florida is known for its imposing size and rebounding prowess, the team is eighth in rebounding percentage, but Maryland is 74th and makes up for it by turning over opponents at a far higher clip.
I think this game is far closer than the number indicates with Maryland’s ability to match Florida in key categories like shot volume, shot efficiency and overall talent.
Now, Florida will be the best team Maryland has faced this season, but the team hasn’t lost a game by more than six points this season, and I believe the group is talented enough to hang.
Take the Terps to cover.
PICK: Maryland +6.5 (-105, Available at FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Calling all outdoorsmen and women — Maryland’s Lower Shore is home to some of the best hiking, walking and running trails on the East Coast.
Here’s a closer look at four picturesque parks and preserves with nature trails in the Berlin, Salisbury and Ocean City area.
Assateague Island
Assateague Island offers a wide variety of paved and unpaved trails open for hiking and 37 miles of flat beach terrain for wandering and beachcombing. Assateague Island’s Maryland District features a Life of the Dunes trail, Life of the Forest trail, Life of the Marsh trail.
Furnace Town
Furnace Town is nestled between the Pocomoke State Forest and Nature Conservancy’s Nassawango Creek Preserve. The popular historical site offers three Nature Conservancy Trails, three Maryland Forest service Trails, and a 26-acre outdoor museum and recreation area.
Pemberton Historical Park
Pemberton Historical Park, a 262-acre area featuring a trail system, outdoor amphitheater and more, was created in the 1980s. The park offers 4.5 miles of nature trails for walking and hiking only, allowing visitors to explore wetlands, forests and more of the natural world.
Nassawango Creek Preserve
Nassawango Creek Preserve’s primeval forest has an abundance of bald cypress and black gum trees. Visitors are invited to indulge in its four trails, the Nassawango Joe, Prothonotary Warbler, Ron Wilson Memorial Trail and Leifer Trail, as well as self-guided audio tours.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region.
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals’ first-round draft pick Chris Hacopian inked his first professional contract Wednesday, a moment made sweeter by the fact it was just a 30-minute drive from home to get to Nationals Park and put pen to paper.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region. He’s from Potomac, Maryland, and played his high school ball at Winston Churchill, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection.
According to MLB.com, Hacopian grew up a Nationals fan, admiring the likes of Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and others. He also played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Maryland, where his father Derek played before him, before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season.
With the Aggies, Hacopian hit .319 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 42 games en route to being named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and a Third-Team All-American by Baseball America, the Nationals said in a news release.
After inking his contract Wednesday, Hacopian donned his new jersey and ball cap and stepped onto D.C.’s beloved diamond as a part of the Nationals organization for the first time.
“That was so cool, oh my gosh. I’ve been in the stands like, 100 times, but being on the field is so different,” he said.
Hacopian was ranked 14th among MLB Draft prospects by MLB.com. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound second baseman boasted one of the best bats in college baseball, according to MLB.com, with excellent control over the strike zone and feel for the barrel, along with solid pop.
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The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
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