Gonzaga vs. Purdue Betting Pick: Will Zach Edey, Boilermakers Start Hot in Sweet 16?
These two teams met earlier in the season as Purdue would eventually come away with the win as their size and athleticism on the offensive end was too much for Gonzaga to match. Will it be more of the same in the Sweet 16 matchup? Let’s break it down.
Joey Ruiz - March 29, 2024, 3:36 PM EDT
5 minGonzaga vs. Purdue Betting Pick: Will Zach Edey, Boilermakers Start Hot in Sweet 16?
Purdue finds themselves in the sweet 16 after two blowout wins over gambling and Utah State. There were rumblings about a potential upset from the Aggies in the Round of 32, but Purdue quickly put those rumors to rest as they absolutely annihilated Utah state by nearly 40 points, putting on an impressive offensive clinic as they scored 106 points.
GONZAGA VS. PURDUE DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: March 29, 2024
- Start Time: 7:39 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: TBS, truTV
GONZAGA VS. PURDUE PREDICTION
On the other side, Gonzaga also finds themselves in the Sweet 16 after two blowout wins over McNeese State and Kansas. McNeese State was a popular upset pick in the round of 64, but Gonzaga put them down early as they beat both McNeese State and Kansas by 20+ points.
The Zags defense has not gotten nearly enough credit as they have been one of the better defensive teams in the tournament to this point. While Gonzaga ratcheted up the defense in the second half against Kansas, I cannot ignore that first half where they allowed 44 points to an undermanned Kansas team playing with essentially no bench. This Gonzaga team goes through lulls on defense where they have a lot of missed assignments, offensive rebounds allowed, and in-opportune or bail out fouls.
This Purdue team has choked in March in the past as we have seen them lose to higher seeds many years in a row, but this team has a completely different feel. Their defense is elite, they rebound the basketball better than nearly every team in the country. And they nail open threes at a very high rate. Not to mention they have the reigning player of the year and likely two time NCAA player of the year in Zach Edey, who will be the tallest and most imposing player on the court in this matchup.
The issue with Gonzaga is that they do not have a post presence who can guard or match Edey’s size and intensity. Edey should have a field day and I expect them to send a message early. With that being said, I am rolling with Purdue 1H -2 at -111 for 1.5U as one of my most confident college basketball plays of the say as I think the Boilermakers start fast in the first half.
GONZAGA VS. PURDUE Betting Pick
1.5U Purdue 1H -2 -111 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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