Wisconsin Purdue Betting – Boilermakers Avenge Earlier Loss To Badgers
The sports betting spread for Wednesday’s Big Ten showdown between Purdue and Wisconsin won’t be a large one as these teams are very well matched and similar in build. But the Badgers are coming off a big win, and the Boilermakers are out to avenge a loss at Wisconsin from two weeks ago, which is why we’re banking on Purdue to come away with this victory.
- What: NCAA Basketball Betting
- When: Wednesday, February 16th, 6:30 PM ET
- Where: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, IN
- Pick: Purdue Boilermakers
Why Bet On Wisconsin (19-5, 9-3 Big Ten)
The Badgers are riding a high after handing Ohio State their first loss of the season, and if you hadn’t heard of junior guard Jordan Taylor before Saturday, you have now. Taylor scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half to carry Wisconsin back into the game, and once he got going, the rest of the team followed suit. Taylor and senior big man Jon Leuer are one of the best inside-out duos in the country, and they need to be great because the Badgers don’t have much else offensively. However, they’re second in the country in points allowed and they don’t commit many fouls. The Badgers are also first in the NCAA in free-throw percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio, which are overlooked in this age of athletic one-and-done players. Wisconsin sticks to the fundamentals, but they do it as well as anyone in the country.
Wisconsin can sometimes struggle with defending the three-point shot (155th in three-point field-goal defense) and they don’t force a lot of steals (334th in the nation), but that’s because they don’t take a lot of risks and try to keep their opponents in front of them, which works well for their system. Their biggest worry is that Neuer and/or Taylor has a bad game, because senior center Keaton Nankivil has been struggling with his shot after a hot start to the conference slate.
Why Bet On Purdue (20-5, 9-3 Big Ten)
Speaking of inside-outside duos, the Boilermakers have their own in the senior duo of forward JaJuan Johnson and guard E’Twaun Moore and like Wisconsin, Purdue depends heavily on these two. The Boilermakers take very good care of the ball (eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio) they take good shots and Johnson is one of the best shot-blockers in the country on the other end of the floor. Johnson has really stepped up in the absence of team leader Robbie Hummel, and he has scored 20 points in eight of the last nine games, but he may be more important to the Boilermakers on defense as he gives them a legitimate presence in the lane. In a conference full of talented big men, having Johnson is a major boost to Purdue’s NCAA basketball betting odds.
Like Wisconsin, the Boilermakers’ main concern is a lack of scoring outside of their top two players. There is a solid supporting cast, led by juniors Ryne Smith and Lewis Jackson, but both have been having shooting troubles, particularly Smith. Another similarity to Wisconsin is that the Boilermakers don’t force many turnovers, coming in 177th in steals, but again, they prefer to stay in front of their opponents and let the system do the work. It also helps that they have a big guy in the middle in Johnson that they can funnel the opposition towards.
How The Game Will Play Out
We expect the Boilermakers to be the NCAA basketball betting favorites in this Big Ten clash, as Purdue has won four in a row over Wisconsin at home, posting a 3-1 ATS mark as well. All four of those games went under the posted total, so we’re expecting another defensive affair between these two teams. The Boilermakers will be out to avenge a 66-59 loss in Madison on February 1st in a game they had won before a late rally by the Badgers, who may be due for a letdown after the emotional comeback win over Ohio State (who Purdue will host on Saturday). Purdue is very good at home, and their seniors, Johnson and Moore, won’t let another lead slip away at home. Take Purdue in what should be a very tight online betting matchup.
Wisconsin Purdue Betting Pick: Purdue Boilermakers
