Purdue got the signature win it’s been looking for all season by knocking off No. 8 Michigan State on Tuesday. The Boilermakers go for the sweep of the Michigan school’s with a visit to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines, who they defeated by 17 points last month.
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HOW THE PURDUE BOILERMAKERS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Led by seniors A.J. Hammons and Raphael Davis, Purdue snapped a seven-game losing streak to No. 8 Michigan State with an 82-81 overtime win on Tuesday, beating a top-10 team for the first time since 2011. It was the elusive big-time victory Purdue has pursued all season. Actually, even longer than that.
Narrow losses to the league’s elite have defined Purdue’s Big Ten season. The Boilermakers led Iowa by 17 at halftime at Mackey Arena, but lost. They led the Hawkeyes at halftime on the road, and lost that one. They led at Maryland by four with less than six minutes left last weekend, and lost that one. Now, they have gotten over the hump and more victories are sure to follow.
Hammons continues to be one of the best big men in the Big Ten. He averages 14.7 points with 8.2 rebounds and shoots an astonishing 59.2 percent from the floor. He nearly had a triple-double against Sparty with 19 points 13 rebounds and eight blocks.
The 7-foot Hammons and his backup, 7-foot-2 Isaac Haas, pose a huge problem for the undersized Wolverines. The Boilermakers will be wise to take advantage of this mismatch until Michigan figures out how to deal with the big men.
HOW THE MICHIGAN WOLVERINES CAN COVER THE SPREAD
Following a pair of double digit losses to Mayland and Michigan State, the Wolverines just needed a win. They didn’t care that it came against Minnesota, winless in Big Ten play. They needed it. And they got it, thanks to some snappy shooting from Duncan Robinson.
Robinson broke out of a mini slump against the Gophers, nailing 4 of 7 three-pointers, and once he gets going, teammates often follow. The Wolverines made 14 of 25 threes, their most in over a month. Last week, Michigan made 15 of 51 three-point attempts in a pair of defeats.
In each of its seven losses this season, Michigan finished with 11 or fewer made threes. In solid wins over Texas and Maryland, meanwhile, the Wolverines hit 14 and 12, respectively. One of those losses came on Jan. 7 at Purdue. UM was 11 of 27 from outside the arc and fell 87-70.
Nearly five weeks later Michigan and Purdue meet again, this time locked in a tie for fourth place in the Big Ten. Michigan will be the underdog and the three-point shot will be the neutralizer. That is, if they fall.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Michigan hasn’t improved much, if at all, from its Jan. 7 loss at Purdue. The Boilermakers torched the nets in that game, hitting 55.6 percent of their field goals, including 50 percent from three-point range, and cruised to a 17-point win. Those were incredible numbers for a team that, for the NCAAB season, shoots 46.1 percent from the floor, and just 35.4 percent from three-land. The Wolverines could be improved if Caris LeVert is back in the lineup. He was cleared to play in advance of Michigan’s game at Minnesota, but didn’t suit up. Coach John Beilein is leaving the decision to play or not up to LeVert, who’s been sidelined since injuring his foot on Dec. 30. LeVert makes Michigan better if he plays, but he’s built up a lot of rust while sitting out.
Purdue 75, Michigan 68
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