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The Purdue Boilermakers face the Texas A&M-CC Islanders in West Lafayette on Monday. The matchup is the opening fixture of the men’s NCAA Basketball season. Purdue is a heavy 21.5-point betting favorite. Here, we tell you the best NCAAB betting picks to make on the match.
- What: 2024/25 Men’s College Basketball
- Who: Purdue Boilermakers vs. Texas A&M-CC Islanders
- Where: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Indiana
- When: Monday, November 4th, 2024
- Tip-Off: 6 pm. ET
The long-awaited college basketball season is finally upon us. The No.14 Purdue Boilermakers were 16-0 at home last season, and they seek to take their winning streak into the new campaign against Texas A&M-CC Islanders, who were 8-7 on the road in 2023/24.
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Texas A&M-CC Islanders Match Betting
There are no prizes for guessing that the Boilermakers are the odds-on-betting favorite to win their season opener. On the money line, the Boilermakers are unbackable at -4000. For a shock win, the Islanders are +1600.
On the spread, Texas is receiving a 21.5-point start. To win with the spread, the Islanders are -110. Purdue is -110 to cover the spread.
The total line is set at 145. Over and under is -110. In the previous season, Purdue and its opponents combined went over 145 points 22 times. The Islanders and its opponents went over 145 points in ten of their 22 matches.
Combined, the two teams averaged 157.5 points per game last season.
Check out our Purdue vs Texas A&M-CC NCAAB betting lines on our college basketball betting table. Our NCAAB odds are from the best college basketball betting sites.
| Purdue vs. Texas A&M |  |  |  |
| Purdue | -4000 | -4000 | -4000 |
| Texas A&M | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Purdue (-21.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Texas A&M (+21.5) | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Over 145 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 145 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Purdue
The experienced Matt Painter will again be Purdue’s head coach for the 2024/25 season. The new season will be Painter’s 20th in charge after he joined the program in 2005.
Painter will be looking to build on a strong 2023/24 season that saw Purdue make it to the National Championship match. The Boilermakers fell agonizingly short, going down 75-60 to UConn in the final.
Purdue was 34-5 overall in 2023/24. In the Big Ten, their record was 17-3. Home form wasn’t an issue either, with the Boilermakers 16-0 in West Lafayette.
Head coach Matt Painter will have to make do without Zach Edey. The star center and two-time National Player of the Year was picked up by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2024 NBA draft.
The Boilermakers will be looking to Braden Smith to help fill the void left by Edey’s departure. The junior guard averaged 12 points per match last season. Head coach Matt Painter will be looking for Smith to excel and become the star man, now he no longer has to live in the shadow of Edey.
To go one better and win the National Championship match in 2025, the Boilermakers are +4500. The bookmakers clearly see the loss of Edey as a major blow to their chances of success this season.
In the betting to make it to the Final Four, Purdue is +950.
To win the Big Ten Conference, the best NCAAB betting sites are offering +400 on Matt Painter’s team. They are the favorite ahead of Indiana (+700) and UCLA (+750).
Texas A&M-CC
Texas finished the 2023/24 season with an overall record of 21-12. In the Southland, they were 14-4.
They entered the Southland Conference Tournament as the No.2 ranked team but suffered an 81-73 overtime defeat to the No.3 ranked Nicholls in the semi-final.
The top performers last season were Garry Clark and Dian Wright-Forde. Clark, in particular, will be important. The giant forward averaged 13.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in the previous campaign.
Jim Shaw will again coach the Islanders. It will be Shaw’s second season in charge following his promotion to head coach after Steve Lutz departed for pastures new in 2023.
Purdue vs. Texas A&M-CC Islanders Betting Picks
Onto our NCCAB betting picks, and we start with the totals line.
We already know the combined average of the two teams last season was 157.5 points per game. That beats the 145 spread by 12.5.
Purdue’s matches last season averaged 151.3 points per match, 6.3 points above the spread. The Islanders’ matches averaged 141.8, falling 3.2 points below the total line.
Purdue is going to dominate the match and dictate the play. As a result, backing over 145 points is the obvious betting pick.
Onto the spread, and we are leaning towards Purdue covering. The Boilermakers will be keen to get their season off to a flying start and prove they can cope fine without Zach Edey.
As well as Braden Smith, Purdue also has Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn looking to fill the void left by Edey. Even though the star man has gone, his influence will still be felt for some time as others step up to the plate and look to take center stage.
All this competition to be the new main man makes the Boilermakers more likely to hit the ground running when the season starts. Our betting pick is for Purdue to win and cover the spread.
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