When Maryland men’s basketball tips off Friday in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, the Terps will hold the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten and a No. 11 ranking nationally. After Maryland had a losing record last season, the Terps look like a Final Four threat for the first time in several years.

Coach Kevin Willard’s team is considered a top contender to win this week’s conference tournament in Indianapolis, but he’s hardly satisfied with where his team stands. He knows programs are defined by consistent long-term success, especially in March.

“I like to work,” Willard said after Saturday’s win over Northwestern. “My job is to win games. If I don’t win games, I’m not going to be here. That’s the stress that being a coach is. I don’t get any satisfaction over anything. I just feel like I’ve done my job, and I need to do my job every year. That’s the way I look at it.

“Every year, my stress level in September goes through the roof. I don’t talk to my wife. My kids hate me. Everyone hates me, but I have to win games.”

Willard’s stress level likely won’t dip any time soon, but Terps fans can at least take a deep breath for a few days with the team not in action until Friday. When Maryland takes the floor in Indianapolis, it’ll compete for its first Big Ten Tournament title. Soon after, the Terps will set their sights on their first Final Four appearance since 2002.

Betting odds suggest those lofty goals are achievable.

Looking at the odds

Maryland’s odds to make the Final Four (via FanDuel) are +850, which are the 11th-shortest odds nationally. Among Big Ten teams, only Michigan State (+340) holds shorter odds to make the Final Four.

There’s plenty left to occur before the Terps make a Final Four push, as the NCAA Tournament field won’t even be revealed until Sunday evening. A favorable draw helps in a team’s push for a Final Four appearance, especially with the Terps likely to be a No. 3, 4 or 5 seed in March Madness. They might have to face a No. 1 seed in the Sweet 16, which would present a major test.

Before any of that, Maryland’s attention is on winning an elusive conference championship — the Terps haven’t won a league tournament championship since 2004. Betting odds for this week’s conference tournament suggest the Terps are among the Big Ten’s best. Here are the odds to win the event, via FanDuel:

Michigan State, +250

Maryland, +440

Wisconsin, +600

Illinois, +650

Purdue, +650

UCLA, +850

Michigan, +1400

Oregon, +1600

No other team holds odds shorter than +4000. Maryland fell to Michigan State in the regular season, losing on a half-court buzzer-beater at home at the end of February.

Maryland’s path to a title

The Terps’ path to a Big Ten title looks favorable on paper. Maryland being the No. 2 seed means they’ll open with either Illinois, Ohio State or Iowa. The Terps went 3-1 against that trio, although Illinois wasn’t fully healthy during that previous meeting, a 20-point Terps win. The Fighting Illini have won three games in a row to end the regular season.

A quarterfinal win could set up a semifinal matchup against third-seeded Michigan, which sputtered down the stretch. The Wolverines lost each of their final three games, including a home loss to Maryland.

“I wouldn’t start thinking about Michigan until you get past Illinois,” Covers sports betting analyst Jason Logan told The Baltimore Sun via email. “The Fighting Illini got hit with the flu bug back in mid-February and that sent them on a slide that cost them a top-four spot in the conference pecking order. They got healthy and finished with three straight wins. Illinois is big and talented up front and could force Maryland to really lean on that outside shooting. On a neutral court, those looks from long range might not drop. The Terrapins beat the Illini earlier in the season, but Illinois was without [sophomore center] Tomislav Ivisic in that game. I think Illinois is a tougher task than [Michigan] despite a No. 7 seed.”

If the Terps make the final, they could face a rematch with top-seeded Michigan State. The Spartans went 17-3 in Big Ten games during the regular season, winning the league by three games.

Regardless of Michigan State’s success, the Terps are Logan’s favorite futures bet of the tournament. Maryland ranks ninth nationally in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Its offensive efficiency ranking of 34th makes it one of just nine teams to have a top-20 defense and top-35 offense.

“Their defense is great, and their offense finds ways to score the ball,” Logan said of Maryland. “They also have plenty of star power and players to step up in crunch time. Michigan State is the favorite after that fantastic finish to the regular season, but Sparty needed a half-court prayer to beat the Terps. While they have a deep rotation, the Spartans may not have that one game-breaker on offense to go to if shots aren’t dropping.”

Logan’s assessment won’t ease Willard’s worries, but Terps fans have reason to be excited this March.

Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin.