Upstart No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson will try to play the role of David against the NCAA Tournament goliath, top-seeded Purdue and National Player of the Year frontrunner Zach Edey in Columbus, Ohio on Friday.
The Boilermakers, the Big Ten regular-season and tournament champions, are one of the nation’s top defensive and rebounding teams and only lost five games to just four opponents. Edey will enter play averaging about 23 points and 13 rebounds per game.
The Knights are coming in as a potential Cinderella fresh off an 84-61 win over Texas Southern in the First Four on Wednesday. FDU is the shortest team in Division 1 yet will take their best shot at slowing down the biggest player in college basketball.
Here’s a look at FDU vs Purdue odds, predictions, and best bets.
Purdue vs Fairleigh Dickinson Odds
Note: CBB odds mentioned in this article for Purdue vs Fairleigh Dickinson were used from BetMGM Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted, and are current as of March 16, at 10 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Purdue -10000 | FDU +1600
- Spread: Purdue -22.5 (-115) | FDU +22.5 (-105)
- Total: Over 145.5 (-110) | Under 145.5 (-110)
Purdue vs Fairleigh Dickinson Pick of the Day
Keep reading for more Purdue vs Fairleigh Dickinson betting tips.
Purdue vs Fairleigh Dickinson Prediction
Purdue 84, Fairleigh Dickinson 59
Fairleigh Dickinson is a top-tier offensive team, averaging almost 80 points per game. But Purdue is an elite defensive team, sitting 21st in points-against per game (62.7), and Edey is a player the Knights have not seen anything like.
Purdue averaged about 80 points per game in its non-conference slate and allowed exactly 59 points per game in non-Big Ten games. I’d expect a similar outcome Friday.
📈 Keep track of NCAA Tournament winner odds to find our best March Madness bets:
Purdue vs Fairleigh Dickinson Best Bets
Purdue -22.5 (-115) | BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The average margin of victory in 1 vs 16 games over the past five years is 22.6 points, including the Knights’ most recent tournament appearance, which was a 38-point loss to Gonzaga in 2019.
The Boilermakers’ rebounding advantage — they averaged 38.4 boards per game while the Knights averaged 34.1 per game (228th in the nation) — should lead to longer offensive possessions for Purdue and a greater margin of victory.
Under 145.5 Total Points (-110) | BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Knights’ offense was 40th in the nation in points per game, but we’re expecting Edey and co.to lock them down. Look for a Big Ten style of play, which lends itself to the Under.
Purdue vs Fairleigh Dickinson Same Game Parlay
Purdue vs Fairleigh Dickinson Parlay (+175) | BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
- Purdue -16.5
- Purdue: Under 90.5 Points
- FDU: Under 62.5 Points
As in all parlays, teasing is your friend. Trying to get a collection of -110 wagers to hit is really, really hard.
This parlay is created to give us some wiggle room based on the predicted outcome above. A 77-60 Purdue win will be successful, despite the fact it would count as an FDU win against the spread.
