PREMIUM
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(NCAAB) Illinois vs. Purdue,
Total: 144.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Win
Total: 144.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Win
The set-up: Illinois is 12-6 (2-3 in Big Ten) and travels to West Lafayette to take on the 21st-ranked Purdue Boilermakers, who are coming off a frustrating 83-78 loss this past Thursday night at Iowa, an opponent the Boilermakers crushed 89-67 in the Dec. 28 conference opener. Purdue is 14-4 overall, 3-2 in the Big Ten.
Illinois: the Fighting Illini face a tough week, playing at Purdue tonight and then at Michigan on Saturday. Losses in both games and Illinois will be at 2-5 in league play. Illinois owns a solid trio of guards in Malcolm Hill (18.2), Tracy Abrams (9.9) and Jalen Coleman-Lands (9.1) but that trio was a collective 8 of 29 from the floor (scored just a combined 20 points!) in the team's 62-56 home loss against Maryland on Saturday. Illinois' best frontcourt player is the 6-7 Black (10.2 & 6.9) but has some excellent size as well, with the 6-10 Morgan (10.1 & 3.9), the 6-10 Finke (7.2 & 4.7) and the 6-11 Thomas (5.9 & 4.2).
Purdue: Gone from last year's 26-win team is the 7-0 A.J. Hammons, who led Purdue in scoring at 15.0 PPG (also added 8.2 RPG). However, Purdue has a strong frontcourt in the 7-2 Haas (13.3 & 5.5) surrounded by 6-9 power forward Swanigan (18.2 & 12.6) and 6-8 SF Edwards (12.0 & 5.1). Freshman guard Carsen Edwards (10.3) leads a group of solid perimeter players, including Mathias (9.8 & 4.1 APG), Thompson (7.6) and Cline (7.2). Purdue is an excellent offensive team (82.6 PPG ranks 25th) on 48.5% shooting (27th).
The pick: Purdue head coach Matt Painter believes the Boilermakers must stay the course, after the loss to Iowa. "Any time you are in a race, you really watch it when it gets to the halfway point," Painter said of the Big Ten's 18-game, regular-season schedule. "When you are playing or coaching, you just look at the next game." Illinois has lost its only two true road games this season (both Big Ten affairs) by an average of 20.5 points and the Fighting Illini are just 11-27 in Big Ten road games under fifth-year coach John Groce. Meanwhile, Purdue is 40-6 at home, including 18-3 in Big Ten play, since the start of the 2014-15 season. The Boilermakers will score but note that their perimeter defense is suspect, as Minnesota guard Nate Mason had 31 points in a New Year's Day victory and Iowa guard Peter Jok scored 29 in Thursday's victory in Iowa City. The Over is a 10* play.
Illinois: the Fighting Illini face a tough week, playing at Purdue tonight and then at Michigan on Saturday. Losses in both games and Illinois will be at 2-5 in league play. Illinois owns a solid trio of guards in Malcolm Hill (18.2), Tracy Abrams (9.9) and Jalen Coleman-Lands (9.1) but that trio was a collective 8 of 29 from the floor (scored just a combined 20 points!) in the team's 62-56 home loss against Maryland on Saturday. Illinois' best frontcourt player is the 6-7 Black (10.2 & 6.9) but has some excellent size as well, with the 6-10 Morgan (10.1 & 3.9), the 6-10 Finke (7.2 & 4.7) and the 6-11 Thomas (5.9 & 4.2).
Purdue: Gone from last year's 26-win team is the 7-0 A.J. Hammons, who led Purdue in scoring at 15.0 PPG (also added 8.2 RPG). However, Purdue has a strong frontcourt in the 7-2 Haas (13.3 & 5.5) surrounded by 6-9 power forward Swanigan (18.2 & 12.6) and 6-8 SF Edwards (12.0 & 5.1). Freshman guard Carsen Edwards (10.3) leads a group of solid perimeter players, including Mathias (9.8 & 4.1 APG), Thompson (7.6) and Cline (7.2). Purdue is an excellent offensive team (82.6 PPG ranks 25th) on 48.5% shooting (27th).
The pick: Purdue head coach Matt Painter believes the Boilermakers must stay the course, after the loss to Iowa. "Any time you are in a race, you really watch it when it gets to the halfway point," Painter said of the Big Ten's 18-game, regular-season schedule. "When you are playing or coaching, you just look at the next game." Illinois has lost its only two true road games this season (both Big Ten affairs) by an average of 20.5 points and the Fighting Illini are just 11-27 in Big Ten road games under fifth-year coach John Groce. Meanwhile, Purdue is 40-6 at home, including 18-3 in Big Ten play, since the start of the 2014-15 season. The Boilermakers will score but note that their perimeter defense is suspect, as Minnesota guard Nate Mason had 31 points in a New Year's Day victory and Iowa guard Peter Jok scored 29 in Thursday's victory in Iowa City. The Over is a 10* play.
