A collision between the No. 5 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs and the No. 1 seed Purdue Boilermakers takes place on Friday in the Sweet 16 round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Purdue looks to notch its sixth Elite Eight appearance in school history, the last one coming in 2019. Meanwhile, Gonzaga has made the Elite Eight in three of the last five years.
Tipoff from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit is set for 7:39 p.m. ET. The Boilermakers are 5-point favorites in the latest Gonzaga vs. Purdue odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 154.5. Before locking in any Purdue vs. Gonzaga picks or predictions, you have to see what proven college basketball expert Mike McClure has to say.
McClure is a DFS pro with more than $2 million in career winnings, and he's also a documented winner as a SportsLine analyst for just about every major sport. College basketball is no exception, and McClure heads into the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament with a record of 105-84-4 that has netted his followers a profit of more than $1,200. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, he has set his sights on Gonzaga vs. Purdue and just revealed his Sweet 16 predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Purdue vs. Gonzaga:
- Gonzaga vs. Purdue spread: Boilermakers -5
- Gonzaga vs. Purdue over/under: 154.5 points
- Gonzaga vs. Purdue money line: Boilermakers -223, Bulldogs +183
- PUR: The Boilermakers are 18-16-1 against the spread this season.
- GONZ: The Bulldogs are 17-16 against the spread this season.
- Gonzaga vs. Purdue picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Purdue can cover
Center Zach Edey is the star with 24.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, but the Boilermakers hope a strong supporting cast will help put them over the edge. Senior guard Lance Jones is an agile ball handler in the backcourt. Jones has been a streaky shooter from beyond the arc and has been disruptive in passing lanes. He averages 12 points, two assists and shoots 35% from 3-point land. On Mar. 10 against Wisconsin, Jones had 13 points and made three 3-pointers.
Sophomore guard Fletcher Loyer is another three-level scorer on the floor. Loyer has a quick release but thrives as a catch-and-shoot option. He puts up 10.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and makes 44% of his 3-point attempts. In the win over Utah State during the second round, he had 15 points and six assists. See which team to pick here.
Why Gonzaga can cover
Senior forward Anton Watson is an all-around talent in the frontcourt. Watson scores in the low post with ease while being an active force on the boards. The Washington native averages 14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and shoots 58% from the floor. In his last matchup, Watson dropped 21 points and six boards.
Junior guard Ryan Nembhard gives Gonzaga an effective playmaker and ball handler. Nembhard has great burst in the open court to get past defenders consistently. He averages 12.6 points, four rebounds and 6.9 assists per contest. The native of Ontario has notched nine-plus assists in five straight games. On Mar. 12, Nembhard totaled 13 points and 11 assists. See which team to pick here.
How to make Gonzaga vs. Purdue picks
McClure has analyzed Purdue vs. Gonzaga from every angle, and while we can tell you he's leaning Under the point total, he also has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's sharing what it is, and which side to back, only at SportsLine.
Who wins Purdue vs. Gonzaga, and which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Gonzaga vs. Purdue spread hits hard, all from the expert who is up more than $1,200 on his college basketball picks, and find out.
