The Tennessee Volunteers are trying to make their way up the ladder in the SEC, while the Purdue Boilermakers are trying to retain their place in the top tier of the Big Ten. One program is trying to renew itself and reclaim a level of prosperity it lost years ago. Another program has established a place of power and wants to maintain it, avoiding a slide to mediocrity.
Details
Odds: Boilermakers -8
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 22, 12:00 PM ET
Location: Imperial Arena — Nassau, The Bahamas
Broadcast: ESPN2
Reasons To Bet On The Tennessee Volunteers
The Vols return several players from last year’s team. They are not considered among the favorites in the SEC, and they are not viewed as a likely NCAA Tournament team, but it is reasonable to think this team can be better that it was last season. Tennessee lost a lot of close games last season and was not that far removed from being able to make March Madness. The Vols do not have to cross the Grand Canyon to get to the NCAA Tournament; they have to cross a large river.
The characteristic which will help the Vols against Purdue is their length. Tennessee has big, rangy guards who are not 6-1 or 6-2 but are instead 6-4 and 6-5. One starter, Jordan Bone, is 6-3, but other guards are taller and can disrupt shots while clogging passing lanes. Purdue has been an excellent offensive team in the early portions of the season, so Tennessee has the physical qualities on defense to bother the Boilermakers and prevent the ball movement which has been fueling Purdue’s 4-0 start this season. Tennessee wants to make this game a street fight and a battle of brawn underneath the basket. 6-11 forward Kyle Alexander will try to protect the rim and clean up the glass for the Volunteers. If there are a lot of missed shots in this game, Tennessee hopes to dominate the boards and limit Purdue’s second-chance points. That’s the path to victory for coach Rick Barnes and his team. Barnes has made a Final Four at Texas, something which Purdue coach Matt Painter has not yet done in his own career. Tennessee will try to use its coaching experience to outflank Purdue in this game.
Reasons To Bet On The Purdue Boilermakers
It was felt by many that Purdue would be worse this season without Caleb Swanigan, the big man who could do a little bit of everything. Swanigan could defend, rebound, score in the low post with his back to the basket, pass out of double-teams, and shoot three-pointers, specifically from the top of the key. He did so much for Purdue that he covered up a lot of the team’s weaknesses and relieved the burden on a lot of role players to have to do more than they were capable of. Without Swanigan, Purdue faced legitimate questions about its ability to thrive.
So far, though, the Boilermakers have been great. They are averaging 102 points per game on offense. They are shooting over 56 percent from the field and nearly 49 percent from three-point range. They are getting great shots, and when they get those great shots, they are knocking them down. This is an offense which is hitting on all cylinders. No one on Tennessee is skilled enough on offense to get into a scoring contest with Purdue.
Outlook
We’ve seen a little bit of movement on this line as the Purdue Boilermakers opened up as an eight-point favorite and that’s where they sit. However, the line did jump back and forth between -8 and -8.5 before coming back down. In terms of the total, it’s a been a little bit more clear-cut. It opened up at 154 and the pressure has been on the under. The line has come down to 151 points.
Purdue is a more polished team, while Tennessee is trying to become what Purdue already is. One team is a lot more advanced in its development. Purdue is the clear choice here.
Prediction: Boilermakers -8
The 2018 March Madness futures are out. There has been plenty of news to keep up with in the offseason but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest college basketball betting lines right here.
