Penn State vs. Purdue Prediction & Odds
Unranked Penn State and #5 Purdue play each other on CBS at 3:30 PM ET Sunday afternoon for the Big Ten Tournament title. Can the Boilermakers cover the 6-point spread as neutral-site favorites?
Penn State is 22-10 on the year with their best wins coming over Northwestern and Indiana. Their worst losses came against Wisconsin and Nebraska. The Nittany Lions are 19-13-2 against the spread this season.
Purdue is 28-5 this season with their best wins coming over Marquette and Gonzaga. Their worst losses came against Rutgers and Maryland. The Boilermakers are 13-18-2 against the spread this year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
659 Penn State Nittany Lions (+6) vs. 660 Purdue Boilermakers (-6); O/U 135.5
3:30 PM ET, Sunday, March 12, 2023
United Center, Chicago, IL
Penn State vs. Purdue Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that the public favors the Boilermakers in this contest. Our public betting data illustrates that 81% of public bets are on Purdue -6. Do note that these numbers are subject to change and could be different once tipoff rolls around, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Penn State Game Notes
Penn State’s star player is senior guard Jalen Pickett. The 6’4” Rochester, NY native is having an impressive statistical season. Pickett is averaging 17.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1 steal, and 1.8 made three-pointers per game for the Nittany Lions this year. To top it all off, he’s shooting an impressive 52.3% from the field on the campaign. The Nittany Lions will likely go as far as Jalen Pickett can carry them, and he’s already carried them into the Big Ten Tournament final.
Purdue Game Notes
Purdue’s best player is 7’4” junior center Zach Edey. The big man from Toronto is throwing up a sensational stat line of 21.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game this year. He’s also shooting a blistering 60.9% from the floor this season. Edey leads the Big Ten in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage this season and he’s been a huge part of why Purdue has won so many games this year.
Purdue has needed a guard to step up when Zach Edey gets double-teamed, and 6’5” junior Brandon Newman has answered the bell. Newman had 19 points in Purdue’s March 5th win over Illinois to close out the regular season and 15 points in the Boilermakers’ semifinal win over Ohio State on Saturday. He could be key to how Purdue fares against a pesky Penn State squad Sunday.
Penn State vs. Purdue CBB Betting Trends
Penn State is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against a team with a winning percentage over .600.
Penn State is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Penn State is 33-15-5 ATS in their last 53 neutral site games.
Purdue is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS win.
Penn State vs. Purdue CBB Prediction:
Penn State was on the NCAA Tournament bubble before the Big Ten tournament, but they should be in the field regardless of what happens on Sunday. The Nittany Lions have ripped off three close wins to advance to the Big Ten Tournament final. Their guards are better than Purdue’s guards in my opinion, and Penn State will be able to play freely with nothing to lose. Purdue was supposed to be in the Big Ten Tournament title game, and they may play a bit tighter as a result.
It’s worth noting that these two teams played each other twice in conference play and Purdue won both games by double digits. I think this helps Penn State, however, as they’ve been playing better in the past few weeks and should present a different sort of challenge for Purdue. I think the Nittany Lions are able to make this a close game and I think they cover the number in Chicago against the Boilers on Sunday.
CBB BETTING PREDICTION: PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS +6
