[gambcom-standard rankid=”4141″ ]
The 12th-seeded McNeese Cowboys (28-6) battle the No. 4 seed Purdue Boilermakers (23-11) Saturday in the second round of the Midwest Region. Tip from Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. (CBS). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the McNeese vs. Purdue odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
McNeese upset fifth-seeded Clemson 69-67 Thursday. The Cowboys were 7-point underdogs and the Under (137.5) hit. Reserve G Brandon Murray scored 14 of his team-high 21 points in the second half as McNeese claimed its first NCAA Tournament win in program history after dropping its first 3. McNeese led by as many as 24 points in the first half and led 31-13 at the break before having to fend off a late Clemson run.
Purdue knocked off No. 13 seed High Point in a 75-63 commanding first-round victory Thursday, covering as an 8-point favorite with the Under (152.5) cashing. F Trey Kaufman-Renn scored a game-high 21 points, while G Braden Smith added 20. The Boilermakers outrebounded the Panthers 45-24, led by F Camden Heide’s 10 and Kaufman-Renn’s 8.
Purdue is ranked 22nd in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.
Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+
McNeese vs. Purdue odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:03 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): McNeese +200 (bet $100 to win $200) | Purdue -275 (bet $275 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): McNeese +6.5 (-118) | Purdue -6.5 (-102)
- Over/Under (O/U): 142.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
[gambcom-standard rankid=”4132″ ]
McNeese vs. Purdue picks and predictions
Prediction
Purdue 71, McNeese 66
Moneyline
PASS.
There is minimal value on the Boilermakers (-250), who are much more rounded than the No. 12 seed.
Against the spread
LEAN MCNEESE +6.5 (-118).
The Cowboys, who will be undersized against the Boilermakers, have a lot of momentum after their first-round upset. If you haven’t heard, there’s a bunch of hype involving their student manager Amir Khan, which has become one of the more intriguing stories of the tournament so far. While it does not directly translate to on-court performance, they are a fan-favorite and will likely have much of the crowd backing them. As mentioned, McNeese jumped out to an early 24-point lead early on Thursday. It will look to start the same way Saturday, hoping to put the Boilermakers on their heels. Whether a backdoor cover, or a close game, expect the Cowboys to be within 6.5 points when the final buzzer rings.
Over/Under
BET UNDER 142.5 (-105).
The Under is 8-4-1 in the Cowboys’ last 13 games, including a 2-game Under streak. They have scored 69 or fewer points in 3 of their last 5, while the defense has allowed 67 or fewer points in 11 of its last 12, including in each of its last 7.
The Boilermakers have hit the Under in 2 of their last 3, while scoring 76 or fewer points in 7 of their last 10. They have allowed 71 or fewer in 4 of their last 6.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
[gambcom-standard rankid=”6305″ ]
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow @seth_orlemann on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]