Grambling vs. Purdue Prediction & March Madness Odds: Can Tigers Upset Boilermakers?
The No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers look to rebound after last year's first-round defeat to a No. 16 seed when they face the Grambling Tigers, and we have you covered with our Grambling State vs. Purdue prediction based on the best March Madness odds.
Grambling State secured their spot to play Purdue after a hard-fought 88-81 overtime victory against Montana State in their inaugural NCAA Tournament game. Despite facing a 14-point second-half deficit and having a win probability as low as 5%, the Tigers staged an impressive comeback to emerge victorious.
Purdue (29-4, 17-3 Big Ten) is a No. 1 seed for the second straight season, but it did not live up to that top seed last year, as it was the second No. 1 seed ever to lose to a No. 16 seed. The Boilermakers have lost to teams seeded 13th or lower in the last three NCAA Tournaments, but enter March Madness with the third-best odds to win the national championship at most of our best sports betting sites.
As part of our March Madness predictions, here’s our best Grambling vs. Purdue prediction and college basketball picks (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Grambling vs. Purdue odds
Grambling (No. 16) vs. Purdue (No. 1) prediction: Midwest Region
Purdue -26.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best odds: -105 via FanDuel
Purdue has the talent and experience to win the NCAA Tournament. The looming question, however, is whether they have the mental fortitude after last year’s shocking first-round exit to 16th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson.
In some respects, Grambling is as dangerous a first-round opponent as Fairleigh Dickinson was last year. The Knights entered that unforgettable game with a top-40 turnover rate defensively and forced the Boilermakers into 16 turnovers. Grambling ranks 61st in turnovers forced (19.0% turnover rate). However, Purdue’s backcourt tandem of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer has an additional year of experience and should be ready to handle the Tigers’ pressure.
Grambling played six NCAA Tournament teams this season (Colorado, Iowa State, Dayton, Washington State, Drake, and Florida) in the regular season and allowed an average of 85 points per game in those contests. Only two were decided by fewer than 30 points.
We also expect a monster game from Zach Edey, who FanDuel has at an O/U of 26.5 points. The big man has scored 25-plus points in seven consecutive games, so the Over on his point total is worth a look.
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Grambling vs. Purdue best odds
FanDuel (-105)
DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | bet365 |
---|---|---|---|---|
-26.5 | -26.5 | -26.5 | -26.5 | -26.5 |
-110 | -105 | -105 | -110 | -110 |
Our best sports betting apps have the same -26.5 line, with FanDuel and BetMGM offering the most competitive odds (-105). A winning $10 bet at 105 odds would pay out $19.52. The -105 odds carry an implied probability of 51.22%.
Purdue has been 5-4 ATS in NCAA Tournament games since 2018 despite its recent struggles.
Grambling vs. Purdue spread & Over/Under analysis
Any line movement on the point spread thus far has gone in Purdue’s favor, as bet365, Caesars, DraftKings, and BetRivers increased a half-point from -26 to -26.5. Purdue is 16-15-2 ATS this season, while Grambling covered 18 of its 32 games (but went just 4-7 ATS in non-conference games).
Among our best sports betting sites, the total is within a one-point range. DraftKings is on the low end with an O/U of 138.5, while FanDuel and BetMGM have the highest projected totals (139.5).
Grambling vs. Purdue game info
- When: Friday, March 22
- Tip-off: 7:25 p.m. ET
- Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.
- How to watch: TBS
Grambling-Purdue prediction made Thursday at 8:57 a.m. ET.
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Related pages
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