The Purdue Boilermakers are riding the hot hands of Carsen Edwards in the tournament, but can the spitfire guard keep it going against the Tennessee Volunteers, who escaped another thriller in the second round? This game has the potential to be a barnburner, with the sportsbook giving just a 1-point spread. Going into the game, Purdue is priced at +6000 to win the 2019 national championship, while Tennessee is a more likely tournament victor, with +2000 odds. Read on for more about this matchup along with our prediction.
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Betting Preview for the Purdue Boilermakers vs. Tennessee Volunteers College Basketball Game on March 28, 2019
Where: KFC Yum Center, Louisville
When: Thursday, March 28, 2019, 7:29 PM ET
Line: Purdue Boilermakers (+1) vs. Tennessee Volunteers (-1) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Purdue Boilermakers (25-9 Overall / 16-4 Conference)
The Boilermakers are through the second round and are on their way to the Sweet 16 after becoming the team that took the defending champions, Villanova Wildcats, out of contention in March Madness. Purdue used a flummoxing offense and a suffocating defense to drain the life out of the Wildcats. And by flummoxing offense, we mean a whole lot of Carsen Edwards, who almost single-handedly tormented Villanova, as he scored 42 points on 12-for-21 shooting from the field, including a 9-for-16 line from behind the arc. Edwards is the best player on his team, and he’s showing everyone why is that the case with one sterling performance after another. Tennessee will have a mark on Edwards’ back, so his teammates will have to lighten up the load on the guard’s shoulders. Purdue’s outside shooting has been on point in the tournament, having sunk 25 threes in the last two games.
Purdue is 3-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last four games.
Betting on the Tennessee Volunteers (31-5 Overall / 15-3 Conference)
The Volunteers can consider themselves lucky for still being alive in the tournament. They blew a 25-point lead to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round, but managed to get it together in overtime to get the 83-77 win. It took the heroics from SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams to tow Tennessee to the Sweet 16, as he hit two free throws, a pair of jumpers, and a clutch defensive play in overtime before finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals. It was a great rebound game for Williams, who only had nine points in a 77-70 close call of a win over the Colgate Raiders in the first round. The Vols have a solid lineup with a great coach, but they have been shaky for the most part of March Madness, and it probably has a lot to do with their nerves. In any case, the Vols need Williams and Admiral Schofield to be on top of their games on both ends of the floor against a sizzling Purdue team. The Vols averaged 81.6 points per game in the regular season.
The over is 6-0 in Tennessee’s last six games, and the Volunteers are 17-17-1 ATS on the season.
Writer’s Prediction
Tennessee wins, 77-74.
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