Wednesday, December 3rd, 7:30 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Comcast Center (17,950) -- College Park, Maryland. Television: ESPNU. Home Record: Michigan 4-0, Maryland 3-0. Away Record: Michigan 0-0, Maryland 0-0. Neutral Record: Michigan 1-1, Maryland 1-2. Conference Record: Michigan 0-0, Maryland 0-0. Series Record: Michigan leads, 3-2.

GAME NOTES: The ACC/Big Ten Challenge continues with a matchup between the Michigan Wolverines and the Maryland Terrapins in College Park. Michigan is making its eighth all-time appearance in the event ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and the team currently owns a 3-4 record in the event. The Wolverines are 5-1 on the young season and are set to play their first true road game. On Saturday, they barely squeaked by Savannah State by a 66-64 final in overtime, and the fact that they had to come from behind to win that game is somewhat concerning. Maryland recently took part in the Old Spice Classic and improved to 4-0 with an 18-point romp over a highly-ranked Michigan State team. Unfortunately, the Terps were then blown out in their next two tournament games by ranked teams. After falling to Gonzaga on Saturday by 22 points, they dropped an ugly 75-48 decision to Georgetown on Sunday. The Wolverines own a 3-2 series edge over the Terps, but Maryland won the most recent meeting in 2000 by an 82-51 final.

Michigan won the game over Savannah State on a buzzer-beating shot by DeShawn Sims. The Wolverines fell behind by 20 at the half against the Tigers before coming back to force overtime. Sims tied his career high in both points and rebounds in the contest en route to his second double-double of the season (23 points, 12 rebounds). Manny Harris hit all 14 of his free throws in the tilt and finished with 22 points. Overall this season, Harris is scoring an impressive 22.3 ppg on the strength of his 52.8 percent shooting from the floor and 87.7 percent efficiency from the foul line. Harris is also ripping down 8.0 rpg, the same rebounding average that Sims boasts through six games. While he doesn't start for Michigan, Sims plays nearly 30 minutes per contest and is scoring 15.2 ppg.

Maryland shot a lowly 31.6 percent from the floor in the most recent loss to Georgetown and finished the game with only six assists against 13 turnovers. The Terps were outrebounded by a 39-26 margin and outscored from the foul line, 16-9. Both Eric Hayes and Adrian Bowie pitched in 11 points in the ugly loss. Maryland depends heavily on versatile guard Greivis Vasquez to be productive every time out, and he struggled mightily against Georgetown. Vasquez was a non-factor in the game, shooting 1-of-7 from the floor en route to two points. Overall this season, Vasquez is generating 17.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 4.7 apg, proof of his all-around ability. Bowie checks in with 10.3 ppg, as he is the only other player averaging double figures in scoring.

The Terps were beaten badly the last two times out, so expect them to play with a great deal of intensity in front of the home crowd this evening. Maryland is the smart pick.

Predicted Outcome

Maryland 74, Michigan 63