Rutgers at Purdue Lines, Free Pick & TV Info

Posted by Kenny Bell on Monday,February 13, 2017 12:29, EDT in

How weak is the Big Ten this year? When the NCAA Tournament selection committee released its top 4 seeds in each region on Saturday, the Big Ten was nowhere to be found. The best team in the conference might well be No. 16 Purdue and it will be a NCAA basketball betting favorite over sorry Rutgers on Tuesday.

Rutgers at Purdue Lines, Free Pick & TV Info

When: Tuesday, Feb. 14, 7 PM ET
Where: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: BTN2Go
Radio: Rutgers / Purdue
Opening NCAAB Lines: TBA

Why Bet On Rutgers?

The Scarlet Knights are off a 72-63 loss to Minnesota on Saturday. Rutgers (13-13, 2-11) had three players score in double figures and committed its fewest turnovers in a Big Ten game this season, but was unable to overcome its struggles at the free throw line. The Scarlet Knights were 10-of- 22 at the charity stripe, while the Gophers deposited 13-of- 15. In Big Ten games the Scarlet Knights are hitting just 55 percent from the charity stripe, last in the league by a wide margin.

“People just don’t have confidence to step up there and knock down free throws,” said junior guard Mike Williams, who scored 14 points. “It’s a problem.”

Rutgers was within five with possession in the final stages, but a three-point attempt by Nigel Johnson with just over a minute to play rattled-out in another hard-fought defeat. Seven of RU’s last 10 games have been decided by single digits.

Williams and C.J. Gettys both scored 14 points and Corey Sanders added 13 to pace the RU offense. Williams was 6-of- 12 from the field, while Gettys shot 5-of- 8 and grabbed eight rebounds. The Scarlet Knights benefitted from a 13-6 advantage in points-off- turnovers and out-scored Minnesota 16-2 in fast break points. Rutgers shot 41.7 percent from the floor (including 35.3 percent in the second half) and converted just three of its 14 3-pointers.

Rutgers had 14 offensive rebounds, its 22nd game this season with double-digit totals on the offensive glass. Rutgers is third nationally in offensive rebounds-per- game (15.16), fifth in rebounds (42.0), 19th in rebound margin (+7.2), 23rd in blocks (5.3) and 24th field goal percentage defense (39.8). The Scarlet Knights still have a chance to post the program’s first non-losing season since 2006, but the window is closing fast.

Why Bet On Purdue?

The Boilermakers have been off since a 69-64 win at rival Indiana on Thursday. Vincent Edwardsmatched his career-high with 26 points and Caleb Swanigan added 16 points and 14 rebounds. The Boilermakers (20-5, 9-3 Big Ten) have won three straight and six of seven to move into second place in the conference.

Indiana led 57-55 after Josh Newkirk’s 3-pointer with 4:56 to go, but the Boilermakers scored seven straight and then made it 64-59 when Swanigan completed a three-point play with 1:02 left. Purdue sealed it from the free throw line.

Purdue is now 9-3 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Purdue has 20 wins in the first 25 games for the 11th time since the 1979-80 season (38 years), and the fifth time under Matt Painter. It has won at Indiana, Michigan State and Ohio State in the same season for the first time since 2009-10.

Purdue is now 4-3 this year when trailing at halftime, having won two straight games against Maryland and Indiana. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, Purdue is 13-11 when trailing at halftime. Purdue is 17-1 this year when holding opponents under 48.0 percent shooting.

Edwards now needs just 17 points to become the 50th player in school history with 1,000 career points. He also surpassed 475 career rebounds in the win. Swanigan notched his 21st double-double of the season. He has recorded a double-double in seven straight games, tied for the fifth-longest double-double streak in Purdue history. Swanigan moved into fifth on the Purdue single-season rebounds list (320), just 32 shy of the school record. He also surpassed 600 career rebounds, the 23rd player in Purdue history with 600 or more rebounds.

Purdue, UCLA and Marquette are the only power-conference schools to rank in the nation’s top 25 in both 3-point percentage and 3-pointers made per game. Purdue is 4th and 20th, respectively.

Rutgers at Purdue Free Pick: Purdue Boilermakers

Go Purdue on NCAA basketball odds.