NCAA Tournament Betting Picks: Target the Over for Purdue vs. NC State

Very few things on the sports calendar can match the excitement and unpredictability of the NCAA Tournament. So why not add betting to the mix via the college basketball odds at FanDuel Sportsbook?

The 2024 edition of the big dance has arrived, and here at FanDuel Research, we'll have you covered with a betting guide for each game.

The stage is set for the Final Four of the Men's NCAA Tournament, beginning with a showdown between the Purdue Boilermakers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Saturday. With the winner clinching a spot in the National Championship, which bets are worth taking in Saturday's matchup?

All college basketball odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook, and lines may change after this article is published.

NCAA Tournament Betting Picks

Purdue vs. NC State Betting Odds

Date and Time: Saturday, April 6th at 6:09 p.m. ET

Spread: Purdue -9.5 (-106)

Total: 146.5

Moneyline:

• Purdue: -450
• NC State: +340

Purdue vs. NC StateStatistical Breakdown

Advanced stats from KenPom, Bart Torvik and numberFire.

Purdue Boilermakers

• numberFire Ranking: 2nd
• Bart Torvik Ranking: 3rd
• KenPom Ranking: 3rd
  • Adjusted Defensive Efficiency Ranking: 21st
  • Adjusted Offensive Efficiency Ranking: 4th
  • Adjusted Tempo Ranking: 175th

NC State Wolfpack

• numberFire Ranking: 60th
• Bart Torvik Ranking: 63rd
• KenPom Ranking: 58th
  • Adjusted Defensive Efficiency Ranking: 89th
  • Adjusted Offensive Efficiency Ranking: 47th
  • Adjusted Tempo Ranking: 137th

Purdue vs. NC State Best Bet

Over 146.5 (-110)

Neither Purdue nor NC State play at a relatively fast pace with Bart Torvik's stats having the Boilermakers sitting at 168th in adjusted tempo (67.6) and NC State at 147th in adjusted tempo (67.9). Nevertheless, the over is a somewhat enticing bet for Saturday's Final Four clash.

The Wolfpack's journey to the Final Four has been nothing short of remarkable. Following a four-game losing streak to conclude the regular season, NC State has won nine straight win-or-go-home games spanning across the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.

In those nine games, the Wolfpack have logged 73-plus points in eight of them. Led by DJ Horne (16.8 PPG) and D.J. Burns (13.0 PPG), NC State has shot 45% or better from the field in their first four games in the tourney.

That includes games against elite defenses like the Duke Blue Devils and the Marquette Golden Eagles.

On the other side of the court, the Boilermakers have been a well-oiled machine in the NCAA Tournament. Slowing down Zach Edey (25.0 PPG, 12.2 RPG) is easier said than done, and it helps when Purdue is knocking down a solid 39% of their three-point shots in the tourney.

Despite both of these teams going 5-5 to the over in their last 10 games, they are a combined 47-30 to the over this season. With Bart Torvik predicting a score of 81-70 in favor of the Boilermakers, I'll back the over in what should be an interesting game between two teams with vastly different expectations to begin the year.

Purdue vs. NC State Prop Bet

Zach Edey Over 39.5 Points + Rebounds (-122)

To help the Boilermakers advance to the Final Four, Edey has been utterly dominant on both ends of the court. The two-time Big Ten Player of the Year has posted 23-plus points and 14-plus rebounds in all four games in the NCAA Tournament thus far.

In the Elite Eight versus the Tennessee Volunteers, Edey exploded for 40 points and 16 rebounds. The 7-foot-4 center has achieved 40-plus points and rebounds in three of the first four games he's played in during the tourney.

Given the magnitude of this game, there's no reason to believe Edey won't have another stellar performance. The Wolfpack are 192nd in defensive rebound rate allowed (29.3%), 183rd in effective field-goal percentage allowed (50.5%), and 155th in defensive free-throw rate allowed (31.9%).

Those are all metrics that favor Edey tremendously.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.