The No. 8 seed Utah State Aggies square off against the No. 1 seed Purdue Boilermakers in the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Sunday afternoon. The winner will advance to play the No. 5 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Sweet 16. This will be just the second meeting in history between these teams. The Boilermakers topped the Aggies 85-64 in the Cancun Challenge in 2016.
Tipoff from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana is set for 2:40 p.m. ET. The Boilermakers are 11.5-point favorites in the latest Utah State vs. Purdue odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 149. Before making any Purdue vs. Utah State picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Purdue vs. Utah State. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Utah State vs. Purdue:
- Purdue vs. Utah State spread: Purdue -11.5
- Purdue vs. Utah State over/under: 149 points
- Purdue vs. Utah State money line: Purdue -631, Utah State +449
- PUR: 17-16-1 ATS this season
- USU: 15-15-2 ATS this season
- Purdue vs. Utah State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Purdue can cover
Sophomore guard Braden Smith is an all-around difference-maker in the backcourt. Smith scans the court extremely well as a passer and has the ability to score from all three levels. He was fourth in the nation in assists (7.4) to go along with 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest. In his last outing, Smith recorded a double-double of 11 points and 10 assists.
Senior guard Lance Jones is a good change-of-pace ball handler. Jones gets past defenders without hesitation and owns a jumper to knock down perimeter jumpers. The Illinois native logs 12.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. In the March 15 win over Michigan State, Jones finished with 10 points, four boards, and three steals. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
Why Utah State can cover
Senior guard Ian Martinez provides the Aggies with a streaky shooter on the outside. Martinez can score from all three levels but owns the bounce to soar for slams. He averages 13.4 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 38% from beyond the arc. In the win over TCU, Martinez finished with 21 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Senior guard Darius Brown II is the go-to ball handler in the backcourt. Brown II will set up the offense but creates his own shot from multiple spots on the court. He leads the team in assists (6.6) and steals (1.5) to go along with 12.4 points per game. Brown II is coming off a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Utah State vs. Purdue picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 153 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Purdue vs. Utah State, and which side of the spread hits over 70% of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that is 29-19 on top-rated college basketball spread picks this season.
