Indiana at Purdue Spread, Betting Pick & TV Info

Posted by Michael Hunt on Monday,February 27, 2017 12:26, EDT in

NCAA Basketball News, Betting Tips, Picks & Previews

This is the most important game in the Big Ten on Tuesday. Indiana is on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble but an upset of No. 14 Purdue in its own gym might get IU into the Big Dance. If they don’t make it, Coach Tom Crean is likely fired. Purdue, meanwhile, can clinch at least a share of the Big Ten title with a victory. Be sure to check out for more NCAAB spreads by clicking here.

Indiana at Purdue Spread, Betting Pick & TV Info

When: Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7 PM ET
Where: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Ind.
TV: ESPN2
Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Indiana / Purdue
Opening NCAAB Lines: Purdue favored by TBA

Why Bet On Indiana?

The Hoosiers ended a five-game losing streak in pretty incredible fashion on Saturday, 63-62 over Northwestern. Thomas Bryant completed a 3-point play with 2.6 seconds left and the Indiana defense shut out Northwestern for the final 93 seconds, turning a seven-point deficit into an improbable win.

Bryant finished with 11 points, six rebounds and came up with the biggest play when he posted up, caught a nifty wraparound bounce pass from James Blackmon Jr. and dunked the ball over Scottie Lindsey. Then with the score tied at 62, Bryant’s free throw bounced high off the back of the rim and the left side of the rim before going through.

Blackmon Jr. led the way for the Hoosiers with 13 points and three rebounds. As a team, Indiana held Northwestern to 4-for- 18 from behind the arc, the Wildcats third fewest this season. The Hoosiers trailed Northwestern, 55-48, with 5:00 left in the game before rallying for the win. The last time the Hoosiers overcame a deficit with five minutes remaining was on Jan. 30, 2016, vs. Minnesota in Assembly Hall.

Indiana held a 21-7 advantage in bench points and an 11-10 edge in second chance points. IU gained a 42-33 advantage on the glass, including 13 offensive boards – reaching double figures on the offensive glass for the 20th time this year.

IU is the first school to have 7 players record a double-double in the same season since North Carolina did in 2009-10. (Anunoby, Morgan, Blackmon, Jr., Bryant, Newkirk, Johnson, Green). Since Crean came to Indiana, the Hoosiers have shot a major college best 38.2 percent from 3-point range over a 9-year period. Since 2011-12, IU leads all Big Ten schools averaging 78.1 points while shooting 47.9 percent from the field.

Why Bet On Purdue?

The Boilers (23-6, 12-4) lead Wisconsin by a game atop the Big Ten. But it comes off an 82-70 loss at Michigan on Saturday. The loss snapped Purdue’s six-game winning streak. Caleb Swanigan scored 18 points, but the Boilermakers couldn’t take full advantage of their edge in size. Moe Wagner scored 22 of his 24 points in the first half for Michigan, outplaying everyone on Purdue’s vaunted front line. The 6-foot-9 Swanigan and 7-foot- 2 Isaac Haas combined to outscore Wagner by only two points.

Defensive shortcomings have haunted Purdue in each of its four Big Ten losses. It allowed 91 points in an overtime home loss to Minnesota and 83 points in losses at Iowa and Nebraska. In each of those games, one or more opposing player erupted for a big game. Saturday it was Wagner, the 6-11 sophomore forward from Germany, who enjoyed a career day.

Purdue is looking for its first regular-season title since the 2010 season and its first outright title since the 1995-96 campaign. Purdue continues to sport a balanced attack, led by National Player of the Year candidate Swanigan (18.6 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 2.9 APG). Four other players average at least 9.9 points per game.

The Boilers won at Indiana 69-64 on Feb. 9. After Purdue charged ahead in the closing minutes and finally took a five-point lead when Swanigan completed a three-point play with 1:02 left, the officials conferred on a block-charge call, ruled it a double foul that resulted in the fifth fouls for Swanigan and Indiana’s Bryant and eventually helped the Boilermakers wrap up the victory. Vince Edwards had a career-high 26 for IU. Swanigan had 16 points and 14 rebounds.