The Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament takes place Saturday, and one of the matchups pits the red-hot North Carolina State Wolfpack against the mighty Purdue Boilermakers. NC State (26-14) ended its regular season with a four-game losing streak but has recorded nine consecutive victories since, including a 76-64 triumph over Duke in the South Region final last Sunday. Purdue (33-4) defeated each of its first three opponents in "The Big Dance" by double digits and passed a tough test in the Midwest Region final as it got past Tennessee 72-66.
Tipoff from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. is set for 6:09 p.m. ET. The Boilermakers are 9-point favorites in the latest Purdue vs. NC State odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 146. Before making any NC State vs. Purdue picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Div. I college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered the Sweet 16 round of the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 152-109 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,800 for $100 players. It also has a strong 32-21 (+890) record on top-rated spread picks this season, and its bracket picks rank in the 92nd percentile among all CBS Sports Bracket Challenge entries so far in 2024. Anybody following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Purdue vs. NC State and just locked in its Final Four 2024 predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for NC State vs. Purdue:
- Purdue vs. NC State spread: Boilermakers -9
- Purdue vs. NC State over/under: 146 points
- Purdue vs. NC State money line: Boilermakers -438, Wolfpack +337
- PUR: The Boilermakers are 20-16-1 against the spread this season
- NCST: The Wolfpack are 11-6-2 ATS this season when not favored
- Purdue vs. NC State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Purdue can cover
After being eliminated by 16th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round of last year's Tournament, the Boilermakers appear to be on a mission this time around. They've won their first three games by an average of 26.3 points and withstood a stiff challenge from the Volunteers last Sunday, thanks in large part to Zach Edey. The senior center set a career high with 40 points, nine of which he recorded after Tennessee tied the game with less than six minutes remaining in the second half, and pulled down 16 rebounds for his 28th double-double of the season and seventh in a row.
Edey's effort marked the fourth time in the last 60 years a player registered at least 40 points and 15 boards in an NCAA Tournament game and first since Loyola Marymount's Bo Kimble accomplished the feat in 1990. He has joined Elvin Hayes, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in the past 70 years to average at least 30 points and 15 rebounds through four games of a Tournament with marks of 30 points and 16.3 boards per contest. With 120 points and 65 rebounds, Edey is the first to amass those totals in one NCAA Tournament since Indiana State's Larry Bird in 1979. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why NC State can cover
The Wolfpack were able to put the dismal end to their regular season behind them as they reeled off five victories in as many days to win the ACC Tournament and have pulled off an upset in three of their first four contests during March Madness. Seeded 11th in the South Region, they knocked off No. 6 Texas Tech in the first round and ousted No. 2 Marquette in the Sweet 16 before topping No. 4 Duke in the Elite Eight. Each of those three wins were by double digits, and Sunday's triumph was NC State's second over the Blue Devils in less than three weeks.
Senior forward DJ Burns Jr. scored a season-high 29 points and senior guard DJ Horne finished with 20 in the Wolfpack's win last Sunday. The duo helped NC State tie four other schools as the lowest-seeded team to reach the Final Four since seeding began in 1979. Horne made 10 3-pointers over NC State's first four contests and needs one to match the program record for one NCAA Tournament set in 1989 by Rodney Monroe). See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Purdue vs. NC State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 151 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.
So who wins Purdue vs. NC State, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the NC State vs. Purdue spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 152-109 roll on its top-rated college basketball picks, and find out.
