Purdue basketball vs Gonzaga Sweet 16 picks, predictions, odds: Who wins March Madness game?

[ad_1]

Purdue basketball takes on Gonzaga in a Midwest Regional Sweet 16 matchup Friday night in Detroit. Both teams cruised through the first weekend of March Madness.

They met in the Maui Invitational during Thanksgiving week, with Purdue winning 73-63. Neither team was in a groove offensively, and Gonzaga had 0 3-pointers in the second half.

The top-seeded Boilermakers (31-4) are led by 7-4 senior center Zach Edey, who gets help from guards Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Lance Jones. The No. 5 seed Bulldogs (27-7) ride a balanced attack, led by double-figure scorers Graham Ike, Anton Watson, Nolan Hickman and Ryan Nembhard. Braden Huff and Ben Gregg are also close to double figures.

Can the Boilermakers knock off the Zags again?

‘Collision course’: Purdue making believers out of critics in NCAA Tournament

Purdue beats Gonzaga

I saw this game in Hawaii. Both teams have gotten better, but Purdue is better than Gonzaga. Graham Ike and Anton Watson versus Zach Edey and Trey Kaufman-Renn. I think Watson and Kaufman-Renn can negate each other. Edey is better than Ike. I think the difference could be Lance Jones because Braden Smith (against) Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman (against) Fletcher Loyer, but I don’t think they have a matchup for Lance Jones. And Cam Heide is playing great off the bench. Gonzaga does not have a great bench.

Purdue beats Tennessee

I am going to stick with my pick. Purdue beat Tennessee in Hawaii, they’ll beat them again. They don’t have a matchup for Zach Edey.

Two of three pickers go with Purdue

Purdue wins if: The blueprint to success for the Boilermakers is not complicated. Exploit the size advantage Zach Edey creates down low, knock down open 3s when the defense collapses (40.9 3PT%, 1st in NCAA), and play strong perimeter defense (31.4% 3PT allowed, 46th in NCAA). They held the Bulldogs to 6-of-32 shooting from 3 when these two teams met at the Maui Invitational, and Edey had 25 points and 14 rebounds in a 10-point victory.

Gonzaga wins if: All seven of the…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/purdue-basketball-vs-gonzaga-sweet-212650751.html

Author : IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star

Publish date : 2024-03-27 21:26:50

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.