Hoosiers to Cook Boilermakers
Big Ten Conference Play
The Indiana Hoosiers put their unbeaten home record on the line against the former top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers.
Purdue is still ranked inside the top five, but a loss to Indiana would see that position slip. AHoosiers win could see them squeak into the Top 25.
NCAAB betting odds have Purdue as slight favorites to win their 16th game.
Game: Purdue Boilermakers (15-2) at Indiana Hoosiers (13-4)
Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
Day/Time: Thursday, 7 p.m. ET
Purdue vs Indiana
Boilermakers Back to Their Best
We thought the Purdue Boilermakers could go unbeaten this season after a hot start, but they came back to earth with two losses.
They suffered a poor 74-69 loss to Wisconsin at home, but we like the way they rebounded with wins over Penn State, Nebraska, and Illinois.
The 96-88 double-overtime win against Illinois provided them with a scare, but to prevail under tough conditions shows how mentally fit the Boilermakers are.
Sasha Stefanovic top scored with 22 points, but it was center Zach Edey who was most effective with 20 points on 9-14 shooting.
“I thought (Edey) embraced the physicality of the game,” Purdue coach Matt Painter told ESPN. “He didn’t turn the ball over, which was great, and he was ready to play. That’s the whole thing. If you can establish your big man and really get them in a bind, that helps out everything.”
Purdue needs the same effort from Edey and Stefanovic to beat Indiana, which is 11-0 at home. The home team is 5-2-1 against the spread in the last eight meetings, so the sportsbook might have the line around the wrong way.
The Boilermakers are -3½, which is fair given their record, but we have seen good teams struggle to win on the road, so the trend could continue.
Home Cooking for Hoosiers
We love betting on teams that play well at home and the Indiana Hoosiers are one of those teams.
Not only are they 11-0 straight up, but they have a 9-2 ATS record and that has earned loyal bettors plenty of money.
The Hoosiers return home after a two-game road trip, which started with an 83-74 loss to Iowa before bouncing back to beat Nebraska 78-71.
Purdue defeated Nebraska by 27 points, but Indiana had to win on the road, so it was a much harder situation.
Leading the Hoosiers is Trayce Jackson-Davis, who we believe will make a nice addition to an NBA team when he declares for the draft.
Jackson-Davis leads with 19.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, so he does it all. The forward scored 23 points in the win over Nebraska and winning on the road should give the Hoosiers plenty of confidence.
They lift at home and if they continue to defend their home court, the Big Ten Conference title could be within their grasp. Beating Purdue would go a long way to achieving that goal and we think betting online markets should trim the line.
We could make a case for Indiana being the favorite, so getting a +3½-point head start is healthy.
Cash with the Hoosiers
We picture the Hoosiers winning their 12th consecutive home game and giving Purdue something to think about.
There is no doubting the class of the Boilermakers, but it’s not a good situation for them. They have already lost a couple of easier games and facing an unbeaten home team could make matters worse.
Had Purdue been playing at home we would have picked them, but with home floor advantage, we can’t turn down the value for Indiana. It’s one of our NCAA best bets for Thursday.
