The No. 22 Michigan Wolverines have lost their last four road games, logging a spread record of 1-2-1 in that span. They now meet the Purdue Boilermakers, who have seen the ‘over’ cash at 3-0 in their first three home contests against Big Ten foes.
Sports betting odds opened with Purdue as a 4 ½-point favorite, with early
NCAA Basketball betting action on the Boilermakers lifting the number to five. NCAA BAsketball odds makers first
set the ‘total’ at 129, remaining unchanged after initial betting action was
mixed.
Wolverines edged out at Arkansas
Michigan’s lastest road defeat came in Saturday’s 66-64 setback as
a two-point underdog against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Wolverines were
lit up for 50 percent field shooting by Arkansas, including a 5-for-11 day
beyond the arc.
Wolverines forward Zack Novak notched team-highs of 17 points and
eight rebounds, while logging one of his squad’s two steals. Novak’s
mates Trey Burke and Stu Douglass united for 11 assists, with Burke adding one
block.
The contest’s combined 130 points dipped below the ‘total’ of 137
½, bringing the ‘under’ to 5-0 in the Wolverines’ last five games. Michigan sank 6-of-7 free throws, while outrebounding the Razorbacks, 33-28.
Boilermakers cooked in East Lansing
Purdue dropped to 0-3 ATS in its last three games with Saturday’s
83-58 defeat as a 7 ½-point road dog against the Michigan State Spartans. The Boilermakers were held to 29 percent field shooting, while allowing
Michigan State to connect a sizable 60 percent.
Purdue’s Lewis Jackson and John Hart were the sole members of
their squad to reach double figures, finishing with 10 points each. Jackson added team-highs of six rebounds and four assists.
The lopsided affair’s combined 141 points leaped above the ‘total’
of 134, lifting the ‘over’ to 6-1 in the Boilermakers’ last seven games. Purdue drained a sparse 3-of-20 buckets from beyond the arc, while hitting
19-of-24 at the foul line.
Back the ‘under’ at Mackey Arena
Tuesday’s tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ET), with ESPN providing
the national television coverage.
I am adding the ‘under' to my NCAA Basketball picks, looking for a tight
battle in West Lafayette. The ‘under’ is 4-0 in the last four meetings
Purdue has hosted between these rivals, with both squads combining for 121.8
PPG in that stretch.
Purdue has held foes at home to a stingy 55 PPG, with the loud
confines of Mackey Arena making visitors connect from the floor at a meager
36.7 percent. The Boilermakers have mustered just 63.8 PPG in their last
five contests, including a 67-62 home loss on Jan. 12 to Wisconsin.
Michigan has had a tough time finding the rims, notching 61.6 PPG
in their last five battles. The Wolverines did not have it any easier
last December against Purdue, held to 38.2 percent shooting in an 80-57
spanking.
Purdue ranks last among the Big Ten’s 12 squads in foul shooting,
hitting a meager 62.9 percent from the charity stripe. Look for the
Boilermakers to make up for that gap with boards, averaging 34.8 RPG, en route
to ‘under’ backers getting the money here.