Saint Peter's vs Purdue Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Saint Peter’s Peacocks beat the Murray State Racers 70-60 in the Second Round.
• The Purdue Boilermakers beat the Texas Longhorns 81-71 in the Second Round.
• Purdue beat Saint Peter’s 65-43 the one time they faced each other.

Saint Peter’s Peacocks vs Purdue Boilermakers Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook

The Saint Peter’s Peacocks will take on the Purdue Boilermakers in a Sweet 16 game. These two teams have only faced each other once before. The game was in 2011, Purdue crushed Saint Peter’s 65-43.

The Saint Peter’s Peacocks did not play well in non-conference play but recovered by the time they faced their conference opponents. They went 7-5 in non-conference play but went 14-6 in conference play. They won the last four games of the regular season and the MAAC Tournament.

Saint Peter’s was not expected to make it out of the First Round of March Madness. They faced the Kentucky Wildcats and stuck around with them for both halves. It was tied at 71 at the end of regulation, but Saint Peter’s came out hot in overtime. They scored 14 overtime points and won 85-79. Daryl Banks III kept the Peacocks in the game with his 27 points. He shot 9-19 overall and 5-8 from deep.

Saint Peter’s had a significantly easier Second Round matchup in the Murray State Racers. They ended the first half with a 32-27 lead and won the game 70-60. Doug Edert made some clutch shots down the stretch and put the game out of reach for Murray State.

Murray State is a small team and will struggle mightily against this big Purdue team. If they can figure out how to work around Purdue’s size, they can win.

It is not surprising that the Purdue Boilermakers are in the Sweet 16. They are one of the best teams in the nation and have a killer guard-center combo of Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey.

Purdue faced the Yale Bulldogs in the First Round. They won that game easily 78-56. Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey combined for 38 points. Purdue was fouled a lot and made Yale pay at the free-throw line. They went 27-33 from the line.

Purdue faced the Texas Longhorns in the Second Round. This game was much closer, but Purdue won 81-71. Trevion Williams played huge minutes off the bench. He scored 22 points on 10-13 shooting.

I would like to say that Saint Peter’s will pull off another upset, but that would be irresponsible. The Peacocks do not stand a chance against Purdue. The Boilermakers will use their size and speed to crush Saint Peter’s.

Pick:

Purdue beats Saint Peter’s 82-68. Purdue covers, Over 135.5 points.

Head-to-Head: Saint Peter’s Peacocks vs Purdue Boilermakers

Why Might the Saint Peter’s Peacocks Win?

The Saint Peter’s Peacocks are the heavy underdogs but can win if they focus on making the extra pass and winning the rebound battle.

Saint Peter’s only averages 12.2 assists per game. They do not pass very well, and their best passer, Matthee Lee, only averages 3.0 assists per game. They need to make the extra pass in this game find the open shooter.

Saint Peter’s is significantly smaller than Purdue. Even so, they need to fight for rebounds. They will not get many offensive boards, but they will limit Purdue’s scoring opportunities if they box out and get defensive rebounds.

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Why Might the Purdue Boilermakers Win?

The Purdue Boilermakers need to use their bigger size to win this game. They need to attack the rim on offense and protect the rim on defense.

Purdue has an efficient center in Zach Edey and an efficient forward in Trevion Williams. They both only play about 20 minutes a game, but they are very productive in that time. They combine for 26.4 points and 15.3 rebounds. They need to be fed the ball in the post when they are on the court. Purdue can build a big lead that way.

Purdue has to protect the rim on defense. If they do, they will force Saint Peter’s to depend on outside shooting. Saint Peter’s shoots well from deep, but not well enough to win the game.

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Peacocks Key Player: (G) Doug Edert

Doug Edert has become a fan favorite this March. The 6’2” guard only averaged 9.7 points per game this season but has come off the bench in March Madness and hit some clutch shots.

Edert needs to continue hitting open shots. He may be able to keep Saint Peter’s in the game with key shots down the stretch.

Boilermakers Key Player: (C) Zach Edey

Zach Edey will be against a man amongst boys against Saint Peters. Edey is a 7’4” center and going up against a small Saint Peter’s squad.

Edey may only play 19 minutes a game, but he needs to dominate in those 19 minutes. If he does, Purdue will come away with a big victory.

How to Watch Saint Peter’s Peacocks vs Purdue Boilermakers