Purdue Boilermakers vs Michigan Wolverines

Pick: Fletcher Loyer over 12.5 PTS

Pick: Braden Smith over 3.5 AST

Tipoff: 9:00 P.M. EST


Purdue's challenging journey continues on Thursday evening as they travel to Ann Arbor to face a determined Michigan Wolverines team behind junior center Zach Edey. Michigan should have an advantage in defending Edey, due to the fact that Hunter Dickinson is a highly skilled defender in the post and is considered to be one of the best in college basketball.

I believe that Zach Edey’s matchup with Hunter Dickinson tonight will present opportunities for Purdue's freshman guard, Fletcher Loyer, to excel. Loyer has consistently shown his ability to perform under pressure, with a strong handle on the ball and a natural talent for scoring. I anticipate that he will capitalize on the chances presented to him tonight and exceed his point total, making this a promising bet. 

Braden Smith, a freshman guard, has been averaging 4.3 assists per game this season. However, when playing away from home, his average increases to 5.8 assists per contest. In his last 10 games, he has only failed to surpass this threshold once. I anticipate that tonight's game will be closely contested and see no reason why he will not exceed his assists total again tonight.

I also have a favorable prediction for another prop bet in this game, though it will be a secondary recommendation: Braden Smith to score over 9.5 points.