Purdue vs. Northwestern Pick
Will No. 16 Purdue avoid a letdown performance today when it closes the regular season at Northwestern today at 4:30PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Purdue is favored on the road, as the Boilermakers are getting odds of -3.5 points against Northwestern. The over/under total for the game is listed at 139.5 points. Purdue has won three straight in this series, including an 80-59 win over Northwestern at home on Feb. 1.
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Purdue is coming off an 86-75 win over Indiana this week to claim the Big Ten regular season championship. Purdue is now 24-6 overall and 13-4 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are 16-9-2 against the spread this season, but just 6-6-1 ATS when away from home. Purdue is averaging 80.8 points per game on offense while allowing 67 on defense. When on the road, Purdue scores just 74.2 points per game while allowing 74.8. Caleb Swanigan is leading the team with 18.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game this season while Isaac Haas is adding 13 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Northwestern is coming off a big 67-65 win over Michigan this week with a buzzer-beater to move to 21-9 on the season and 10-7 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats have covered the spread in their last two and are 17-10 against the spread on the season. Northwestern is averaging 71.6 points per game on offense while allowing 64.7 on defense. When at home, the Wildcats are averaging 75.2 points per game. Both Bryant McIntosh and Scottie Lindsey are averaging 14.2 points per game to lead Northwestern. McIntosh also adds 5.4 assists per game.
Bet on Purdue vs. Northwestern
While Northwestern is coming off a big win this week, it was a very emotional one, as many believe it secured the Wildcats a spot in the NCAA Tournament. I would expect an emotional letdown today against a very talented Purdue team. The Boilermakers have locked up the Big Ten, but still are playing for improved seeding in March Madness. Look for Purdue to take care of business on the road today.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL DAILY PREDICTION: PURDUE -3.5