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The Purdue Boilermakers have hit their groove down the stretch of Big Ten play and have vaulted into the top spot in the standings. They can wrap up the conference regular season crown with a strong finish, beginning with a tough one against the Michigan Wolverines.
While the Boilermakers have proven to be the better team on the season, Michigan has the home court advantage and is trying to punch its ticket to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. This will be an important game for both sides and has the makings of a competitive showdown.
This war on the floor will go down Saturday, February 25, 2017, at 4 p.m. ET at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
Odds at BookMaker.eu
Michigan is 18-10 straight up and 10-15 against the spread. The Wolverines have played 14 home games and have covered in six of them. They have not done very well as the favorite but have gone 3-3 against the spread as the underdog this year, and seem likely to get a few points as the inferior team.
Purdue is 23-5 straight up and 16-8-1 against the spread. The Boilermakers have not been great on the road with a record of 3-5-1 against the spread. The Boilermakers are a fantastic 16-6-1 against the spread as the favorite on the season.
Player to Watch
Derrick Walton, Jr. - The Wolverines are a pretty balanced scoring team, but Walton is often the go-to guy in important possessions. He is averaging 14.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per contest.
He is shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 43 percent from three-point range. If Walton can hit some big shots from downtown, it could mean the difference between a win and a loss in a game that is expected to be hotly contested.
Walton shot only 30 percent from the field in a recent win over Rutgers, but did a little bit of everything, contributing 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. He will aim to be more efficient from the floor in this matchup against Purdue.
Key Stat
Six. That’s the number of wins in a row Purdue has rolled off to move into first place in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers have beaten a pair of ranked teams in that stretch, Northwestern and Maryland, but has been a little bit lucky by winning three of the games by five points or fewer.
The closest call came against the Terrapins, as Purdue escaped with a one-point win. The Boilermakers also beat Wisconsin early in the year, which is a big advantage if the teams tie atop the conference at the end of the season.
Purdue currently leads the Badgers by just a half-game with three to play, while Maryland is two games back. The Boilermakers are playing some fantastic ball as the season comes to a close, and hope to take that momentum into March Madness.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Purdue leads the conference and has a shiny overall record, so it is easy enough to choose the Boilermakers to win this game. However, Michigan has also played well of late and gets this one at home.
Purdue should come away with a hard-fought road victory in the end, but Michigan will be pushing it every step of the way. The spread is something to watch closely, as it figures to be in the Boilermakers’ favor by a few points. If it is too large, jump on Michigan.
However, if the Wolverines happen to get the nod because of the home court, Purdue is the right play. Examine that when it is revealed.
College Basketball Odds: Purdue 76, Michigan 73
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