The Grambling Tigers (21-14) and Purdue Boilermakers (29-4) meet in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament Friday. Tip-off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is set for 7:25 p.m. ET (TBS). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Grambling vs. Purdue odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Grambling, the 16 seed in the Midwest Region, tangled with Montana State in a Wednesday First Four contest in Dayton. The 4.5-point underdog Tigers defeated the Bobcats 88-81 in overtime. The champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference are 4-0 in the postseason and have won 10 of their last 11.
Top-seeded Purdue, which is No. 3 in the , was upset by Wisconsin 76-75 in the Big Ten Tournament Friday as a 5.5-point favorite. The Big Ten regular-season champs have cooled a bit on offense of late — especially from looks inside the arc — and are just 1-5 against the spread (ATS) over their last half-dozen games.
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