Teams trending in opposite directions clash when the Umbc Retrievers battle the Maine Black Bears in a key America East Conference matchup on Thursday. The Retrievers (8-18, 4-8 AEC), who have won two in a row, are coming off an 80-75 win over Albany on Saturday. The Black Bears (11-15, 3-8 AEC), who have lost three straight, were beaten 68-57 by Vermont on Saturday. UMBC is 3-10 on the road this season, while Maine is 5-4 on its home court.

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET at The Pit in Orono, Maine. The Black Bears are 5-point favorites in the latest UMBC vs. Maine odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 152.5. Before making any Maine vs. UMBC picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 16 of the 2023-24 season on a 136-89 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $2,500 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 25-13 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on UMBC vs. Maine and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Maine vs. UMBC:

• UMBC vs. Maine spread: Maine -5
• UMBC vs. Maine over/under: 152.5 points
• UMBC vs. Maine money line: UMBC +167, Maine -203
• UMBC: The Retrievers have hit the game total over in 10 of their last 14 away games (+5.60 units)
• ME: The Black Bears have hit the team total under in 19 of their last 29 games (+7.55 units)
• UMBC vs. Maine picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why UMBC can cover

Sophomore guard Dion Brown had the hot hand in the last meeting against Maine, scoring 21 points, while grabbing six rebounds and adding three assists and two steals. He registered a double-double in last Thursday’s 89-78 win over Binghamton, recording 22 points and 12 rebounds. It was his sixth double-double of the year. In 27 games, all starts, Brown is averaging 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 31.6 minutes.

Also making his mark on the UMBC offense is junior guard Marcus Banks Jr., who is in his first season with the team after spending 2021-22 at Western Carolina. In 27 games, including 25 starts, Banks is averaging 14 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Banks is coming off back-to-back 20-plus-point performances, including 20 points and five rebounds in the win over Albany. See which team to pick here. 

Why Maine can cover

Senior forward Peter Filipovity is the Black Bears’ leading scorer. In 26 games, all starts, he is averaging 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26.3 minutes. He has scored 20 or more points in six games and has registered seven double-doubles. He scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 79-72 win over Bryant on Feb. 3. In the first meeting against UMBC, he finished with eight points and seven rebounds. 

Another weapon on offense for Maine is fourth-year junior guard Kellen Tynes. He has started all 25 games he has played in and is averaging 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.4 steals in 34.6 minutes of play. He scored 13 points and grabbed eight boards in the loss to UMBC last month. He is coming off a 17-point and six-rebound effort in the loss to Vermont on Saturday. See which team to pick here. 

How to make Maine vs. UMBC picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 149 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations. You can see the picks at SportsLine.

So who wins UMBC vs. Maine, and which side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 25-13 roll on top-ranked college basketball spread picks.