Zach Edey, Purdue Aren’t Going Home!
We Have A Best Bet In Our Gonzaga vs Purdue Preview
The Purdue Boilermakers silenced all of college basketball with a huge 106-67 win over Utah State in the Round of 32.
After last year’s Round of 64 upset loss to Fairleigh Dickinson, Purdue hasn’t had many believers. But the believers are starting to trickle in after a win like that to get into the Sweet 16.
The Boilermakers will take on a Gonzaga team with many doubters entering the March Madness bracket. Gonzaga lost the WCC Championship game to St. Mary’s and didn’t have a dominant season like they’re used to.
But after two 20-point wins over McNeese State and Kansas, the Bulldogs look just as good as any other year heading into the Sweet 16.
However, one of these teams will fall on Friday. Purdue beat Gonzaga on a neutral court back on November 20. The Boilermakers dominated the second half of that game and won by ten points in a 73-63 final. Since that point, both teams have gotten better.
Therefore, oddsmakers still only have Purdue sitting at -4.5 (-115) despite that ten-point win. The total is also at 154.5, with the Under juiced to 115.
Here’s our Gonzaga vs Purdue preview for the Sweet 16 matchup in the Midwest Region.
Gonzaga Bulldogs vs Purdue Boilermakers 
Location: Little Caesars Arena
Day/Time:
Streaming: TBS
Gonzaga vs Purdue Preview & Trends
Gonzaga has gone 17-16-1 against the spread this season. They’ve also hit the Over in 17 of 33 games this year. It’s been a balanced season for the Bulldogs, despite winning 27 games this year straight up.
On the other hand, Purdue has been more profitable for the public. The Boilermakers have gone 19-15-1 against the spread and have hit the Over in 23 of 35 games this year.
As mentioned earlier, Gonzaga and Purdue played in an earlier game this season. Purdue won that game by ten points. But that was back in November. We’re in late March now. As we know, anything can happen in March!
Purdue also faced Gonzaga back in 2022 and added an 84-66 win over the Bulldogs in that game. Ironically enough, both games went Under a total that was above 150.
Gonzaga Back In The Sweet 16
Who was doubting the Gonzaga Bulldogs?
Gonzaga has reached the Sweet 16 in nine consecutive seasons under Mark Few.
A month ago, some questioned if the Bulldogs would even make the NCAA Tournament. But the Bulldogs got in and haven’t disappointed. Few helped the Bulldogs keep the streak of 24 straight NCAA Tournaments alive. Only a few coaches could ever achieve a feat like this.
He credited the players and other people in the program when asked about getting into the Sweet 16 in nine straight seasons, but he never gave himself the credit.
Meanwhile, the players made sure to credit Few. Ryan Nembhard discussed how Few is one of the great coaches in the game. He acknowledged that he and the guys love playing for Gonzaga because they know they’ll win and move on.
Maybe Purdue Is Actually Good
Nobody really wanted to believe it coming into the NCAA Tournament. But maybe it’s time to reconsider some thoughts.
The Purdue Boilermakers have had some awful matchups in the NCAA Tournament over the last couple of seasons. But this team seems to have turned it on this year, knowing it’ll be Zach Edey‘s final run at an NCAA Championship.
Edey was the Big Ten Player of the Year and made the AP All-American First Team. He’s a freak of nature and ultimately can’t be stopped. He just needs to be used in the right way to be successful.
Purdue developed him and figured out his play style well. They brought in players that would gel with Edey on both ends of the floor, and now it’s all coming together.
The Boilermakers are a top-16 team and have looked like they can win it all after the first two NCAA Tournament wins.
Gonzaga’s Lack Of Perimeter Defense
This is one of the many matchups fans are super excited to watch in the Sweet 16.
Purdue and Gonzaga both have top-ten offenses, according to KenPom. But it’s Purdue that has the defensive advantage.
The Boilermakers have shot 40.9% from deep and 53.4% from inside the arc. They’ve turned the ball over just 16.3% of the time and added 37.9% of offensive rebounds while getting to the foul line at a super high rate.
The Bulldogs don’t force many turnovers. They also don’t defend the three very well, allowing NCAAB teams to shoot nearly 34% from downtown.
If Purdue gets open looks and drains shots, the Bulldogs will struggle to win this game. The Boilermakers’ game plan is to play inside out. They’ll throw it inside to Edey, and when the double (or triple) teams come, Edey can pass it out and help Purdue get an open look for three.
On the other hand, the Boilermakers won’t force many turnovers on defense, either. Purdue is just much better at limiting offensive rebounds and keeping fouls down even more than Gonzaga.
The Bulldogs aren’t aggressive enough to get to the foul line. Purdue is. Both teams also shoot above 72% from the floor, but neither team has a true advantage from the foul line. The advantage is that Purdue will get to the foul line more and have more foul shots made as a result.
After only one upset in the Round of 32, the March Madness schedule has some really intriguing games. This is one of them.
While Gonzaga has looked elite over the last couple of weeks, Purdue’s been that much better. The Boilermakers have already added multiple wins over Gonzaga in the previous couple of seasons and usually play the Bulldogs well.
Our NCAA bracket predictions include Purdue knocking off Gonzaga to get into the Elite Eight. If you’re looking for a bet in this Gonzaga vs Purdue preview, consider Purdue at -4.5 (-115).
For NCAAB basketball odds, analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
