Opening Odds: 4 Seed Purdue vs. 1 Seed Houston

Houston opened as 7.5 point favorites against the Boilers in their Sweet Sixteen matchup in Indianapolis

Following wins in the first and second round against High Point and McNeese State, the Purdue Boilermakers matchup with the number one seeded Houston Cougars on Friday night in Indianapolis. The matchup will take place inside Lucas Oil Stadium, home for the Indianapolis Colts, where the two will play for a spot in the Elite 8 against either the third seeded Kentucky Wildcats or the second seeded Tennessee Volunteers. Houston will enter the game as a 7.5 point favorite over the Boilers with an over/under of 132.5, according to Fanduel.

The Boilers enter their matchup with Houston 24-11 on the season and averaging 77.7 points per game while allowing 70.6. Although the defense was poor over the last half of the season, the Boilers seems to have rebounded a bit over their first two tourney games to allow just 62.5 points per game. Trey Kaufman-Renn has averaged 21.5 points per game and 11.5 rebounds while Braden Smith averaged 15 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. The key to a Boilermaker victory may come from one of the best three point shooters in the country, Fletcher Loyer, who is shooting 45.1% from behind the arc on the season and has hit two or more three pointers in a game twenty one times.

Purdue vs. Houston Fanduel Bets

The Houston Cougars gained a number one seed on the back of their Big 12 Championship and a 32-4 season record. Led by 3rd Team All American and former national champion LJ Cryer (Baylor), Houston is averaging 74.5 points per game but limiting opponents to a nation’s best 58.4 points. Cryer, one of the best scoring guards in the country, is averaging 15.6 points per game while shooting 42.8% from behind the arc on 3.1 makes per game.

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