A recent three-game losing streak dropped the Purdue Boilermakers from atop the Big Ten standings, but the larger goal is a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue has bounced back with a pair of victories and will aim to finish the regular season on a high note with a win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Purdue is the superior team and has the home court advantage, so it will be a significant favorite to take care of business. MInnesota is wrapping up a below average season and could finish under .500 for the year if it can’t find a way to win this contest.
At 4 p.m. ET, tune into FS1 for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Sunday, February 25, 2018, at Mackey Arena.
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Odds Analysis
The Gophers are 15-15 straight up and 11-18 against the spread. Minnesota has covered in only three of its 10 attempts on the road this year. The Gophers have only covered in three of their 12 tries as the underdog.
The Boilermakers are 25-5 straight up and 15-14-1 against the spread. Purdue has covered in nine of its 16 games at home on the season. The Boilermakers are 14-14 against the spread as the favorite on the season.
Player To Watch
Carsen Edwards -- The best player on the floor will be the Purdue sophomore guard. He is averaging 17.4 points on the season with 3.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Edwards is shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from three-point range.
He went off last time out, scoring 40 points to help Purdue knock off Illinois. Edwards hit 11-of-19 shots from the field while nailing four threes and connecting on 14-of-16 free throws. Purdue has four different players who average in double figures so clearly it’s not just a one-man show, but Edwards is the go-to guys when the team is in need of a bucket and he has consistently answered the ball all season.
Previous Meeting
Purdue won a laugher the first time these teams met up in Minnesota. The Boilermakers jumped out to a 13-point lead at the half and poured it on from there, cruising to the 81-47 victory.
That game was indicative of the vast gulf in talent between Purdue and MInnesota. The Boilermakers shot 47.5 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and out-rebounded the Gophers by a ridiculous 46-29 advantage.
That’s a recipe for disaster if you are on the short end of that stick and Minnesota learned it quickly. Minnesota’s offense has not usually been the problem, as it is averaging 74 points per game, but Purdue has a lot of athletes that made it hard for the Gophers to get buckets.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
While Minnesota might get blown out again, it’s not going to be quite as bad as the first time. The Gophers should be able to shoot better in this one and likely won’t be dominated as badly on the boards.
Purdue may be over-confident coming into this one which could allow Minnesota to hang around for the first half. However, the Boilermakers will be able to turn it on and make sure this isn’t a close game down the stretch.
But the early hiccups could be enough to allow Minnesota to cover this spread. Consider the “over” as these teams could play a much more high-scoring game this time around. Each side is willing to push the pace so there could be a lot of fast breaks.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Purdue 82, Minnesota 70
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