Maryland Terrapins vs Purdue Boilermakers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24
The Terrapins and Boilermakers are set to face off at 12:00 ET on BTN. The Boilermakers will host the game at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, IN. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 143.5 points, and Purdue is favored by -5 to win at home against Maryland.
MARYLAND TERRAPINS VS PURDUE BOILERMAKERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Purdue Boilermakers -5
This game will be played at Mackey Arena at 12:00 ET on Sunday, December 8th.
WHY BET THE PURDUE BOILERMAKERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Boilermakers.
- Not only will Purdue pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 143.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Will Maryland Pull Through as the Underdog Road Team?
Maryland Terrapins Recent Game/Games
Maryland improved to 8-1 on the season with an 83-59 win over Ohio State on Wednesday. The Terrapins, who were -5.5 favorites, covered the spread in the victory. The game’s total points ended at 142, just under the O/U line of 146.
Maryland dominated the first half, leading 50-17 at the break. In the second half, they scored 33 points but allowed Ohio State to put up 42 points, a potential concern moving forward.
Maryland put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 46.8% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 51.6%, thanks in part to hitting 59.5% of their two-point attempts, while struggling from deep, making just 28% of their threes (7/25).
Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the way with 23 points, hitting 4 of 8 from three and shooting 63.6% overall. Devin Royal added 18 points and 9 rebounds, and Derik Queen contributed 17 points and 11 boards.
Maryland’s defense gave up 59 points despite allowing the opposing team to shoot 46% from the field. The Terrapins struggled to contain two-point shots, with their opponents hitting 59% of their attempts (22/37).
From beyond the arc, Maryland held their opponents to 28% shooting, with just 7 made threes on 25 attempts. The Terrapins also sent the other team to the line 24 times, where they converted 18 free throws (75%).
Can Purdue Deliver Being Favored at Home?
Purdue’s season record dropped to 7-2 after an 81-70 road loss to Penn State on Thursday. The Boilermakers entered the game as +2 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 151, just over the pre-game O/U line of 149.5.
After trailing 40-24 at halftime, Purdue’s offense came alive in the 2nd half, scoring 46 points. However, they couldn’t tighten up defensively, allowing 41 points in the 2nd half, which prevented them from mounting a comeback.
Purdue’s offense connected at a 51.1% rate from the field in their last game, with an effective field goal percentage of 59.6%. They hit 61.5% of their two-point attempts and 38.1% from beyond the arc, finishing 8-for-21 from three-point range.
The Boilermakers dished out 17 assists, with Ace Baldwin Jr. leading the way with 6 assists and 17 points. Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer each added 15 points, while Freddie Dilione contributed 14 points, hitting 2 of 3 from three-point range.
Purdue’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 48% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, where they allowed 55% shooting on two-point attempts.
From beyond the arc, Purdue’s opponents hit 7 of 18 threes, good for 38%. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 32 times, where they converted 87% of their attempts. Purdue gave up 8 offensive rebounds.