Utah State vs Purdue Prediction & Best Bets: Will Edey Eat Against the Aggies?

A mid-major has eliminated Purdue from the NCAA Tournament three straight times. Will Utah State become the latest one to do so? The Aggies will take on the Boilermakers in the second game on today’s NCAA Tournament slate (2:40 pm ET, CBS), a Midwest Region matchup in Indianapolis.

The eighth-seeded Aggies (28-6) opened the tournament by dispatching ninth-seeded TCU 88-72 on Friday. Ian Martinez led the way with 21 points, while Isaac Johnson added 19 as Utah State reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001.

If they are to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1970—when they reached the regional finals—the Aggies will have to pull a momentous upset.

Purdue (30-4) is familiar with momentous upsets, having fallen to North Texas (first round), Saint Peter’s (Sweet Sixteen), and Fairleigh Dickinson (first round) in the previous three NCAA Tournaments.

They had no real trouble with Grambling State in the first round, coasting to a 78-50 victory, however. Zach Edey tormented the Tigers with 30 points and 21 rebounds, and Braden Smith put up 11 points and 10 assists.

But the Aggies, who won the Mountain West regular season title for the first time since 2019, have been toutstanding this season and could put a real scare into the Boilermakers.

Will a second seed secure safe passage through to the Sweet Sixteen? Or will Purdue fall at an early hurdle once again? Read on for a Utah State vs Purdue prediction, as well as best bets for the back end of today’s double dip in Indy.

Utah State vs Purdue Odds

Odds are via BetOnline, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on today’s NCAA Tournament, NIT, and CBI action.

Spread

• Utah State +11.5 (-110)
• Purdue -11.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 150 (-110)
• Under 150 (-110)

Moneyline

• Utah State +460
• Purdue -600

Looking for more picks for today’s games? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for today’s NCAA Tournament, NIT, and CBI games.

Utah State vs Purdue Betting Analysis and Prediction

So, the good news for Purdue is that they are a perfect 19-0 SU this season when favored by double digits.

For bettors, the news is less stellar, as the Boilermakers are just 9-10 ATS as a double-digit favorite. However, they are 5-2 ATS as a double-digit favorite against non-Big Ten opposition, which is a big turnaround from last season’s 1-7 ATS mark in that spot.

Utah State, meanwhile, is 2-5 SU and ATS as an underdog this season. And while they delivered as a 3.5-point underdog against TCU, they are just 4-7-2 ATS in their last 13 games.

Ultimately, two things are likely to determine how this matchup plays out.

In Zach Edey, Purdue has the top player in college basketball, a double-double machine, and a force of nature. His double-double against Grambling was his fourth straight and 25^th of the season. Over his last eight games, he has scored 25+ points in every game and is averaging 29.0 PPG and 12.4 RPG.

Utah State counters with Great Osobor (17.8 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.9 APG), who has 15 double-doubles this season. If the 6’8, 250-pound Osobor can hold his own against Purdue’s man-mountain, the Aggies could stay in the game.

More importantly, Utah State’s perimeter defense will need to shine against one of the best outside shooting teams in college basketball. The Aggies are fourth in Division I in three-point defense (28.7%), and only five teams have shot 40% or better from three against USU this season.

Yes, Utah State is 3-2 in those five games (wins over Saint Louis, Santa Clara, and New Mexico and losses to San Diego State and Nevada). But if Purdue, who shoots 40.7% from three (second in Division I), are feeling it from outside, it’s likely to spell doom for the Aggies.

I’m still not 100% sold on Purdue as a national championship team, I must admit. But I do think that their previous failures at this time of year will have provided some real lessons, and those lessons will help guide them through to next week.

Utah State vs Purdue Best Bets

Purdue -11.5 & Utah State/Purdue over 150

Of Utah State’s six losses this season, only one has been by fewer than 13 points. That was their first loss of the season, a 72-66 overtime loss at Bradley.

In those six games, the over is 4-2. It missed in a 77-63 home loss to Nevada (under 147) on February 6 and a 75-55 loss at Colorado State (under 148.5) on February 17.

More March Madness Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on March Madness This Year?

Each year, millions upon of millions of March Madness bets are placed at the top online sports betting sites.

Most March Madness betting takes place around and at tournament time, which is from mid-March to early April. But throughout the year, you can bet on who you think will win the college basketball national championship.

Along with men’s college basketball odds, most good sportsbooks now carry women’s college basketball national championship odds, which are drawing a lot of attention this season with the likes of South Carolina, Iowa, and LSU vying to cut down the nets in Cleveland, Ohio on April 7.

Numerous sportsbooks are good for March Madness betting, but in addition to BetOnline, here are some of the books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (Review)
• BetUS (Review)
• Bovada (Review)
• MyBookie (Review)

If you are unfamiliar with any of the above sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Speaking of offers, keep an eye on the latest sportsbook offers from these books and others as the countdown to the opening tip of March Madness continues. That way, you will not miss out on any special sports betting promos and bonuses to pad your bankroll for March Madness betting.

Other March Madness Content at Betting News

If you’d like to check out our other March Madness content, our March Madness guide is where you can find it all in one tidy place. But here’s a rundown of some of what we have put together to help you with your NCAA Tournament betting this year.

We’re also covering the 2024 NIT, so check out that content as well.

• Men’s March Madness Futures Odds
• Women’s March Madness Futures Odds
• 2024 Men’s Final Four Odds
• Six Men’s March Madness Sleepers for 2024
• Best March Madness Betting Tips & Strategies
• Where to Find the Best March Madness Betting Picks
• Best March Madness Betting Sites for This Year
• This Year’s Best March Madness Bracket Challenges
• Betting News Bracket Mania (Our FREE March Madness Bracket Challenge!)

Interested in Learning More About Betting on March Madness & NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on men’s or women’s NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on March Madness, the Mountain West, the MAAC, McNeese State, and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Also, follow Betting News on X/Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok to get more March Madness and NCAA basketball insight from myself and the rest of our team. We’re cooking up a lot of great NCAA Tournament content for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, so hit those links so you don’t miss out on any of it.

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