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The Samford Bulldogs take on the Purdue Boilermakers. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Samford Purdue prediction and pick. Find how to watch Samford Purdue.
The Purdue Boilermakers hope to do this season what the Virginia Cavaliers did in the 2018-2019 college basketball season. Virginia lost as a No. 1 seed in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, becoming the first men's basketball team to lose as a No. 1 seed in the first round of March Madness. The Cavaliers dealt with that disappointment all offseason. They heard all the insults and the jokes and the taunts and had to live with them. They entered the 2018-2019 season intent on setting things right and getting to the Final Four with a chance to win the national championship. Virginia did precisely that, winning its first men's basketball national title and creating an unforgettable story of resilience.
Interestingly enough, Virginia's run to the Final Four and national title in that redemptive 2019 season went through Purdue. Virginia beat the Boilermakers in overtime in the Elite Eight en route to their historic championship.
Now, five years later, Purdue wants to do what Virginia did. Purdue became the second men's basketball team to lose as a No. 1 seed in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Purdue lost to Fairleigh Dickinson and created another firestorm of criticism and anger from fans and pundits. Now the Boilermakers will try to pick themselves up and respond to a crushing disappointment with a supreme triumph, just like Virginia. The journey for coach Matt Painter and national player of the year favorite Zach Edey begins with this opener against Samford.
Here are the Samford-Purdue College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Samford-Purdue Odds
Samford Bulldogs: +19.5 (-110)
Purdue Boilermakers: -19.5 (-110)
Over: 144.5 (-110)
Under: 144.5 (-110)
How To Watch Samford vs Purdue
Time: 6:30 pm ET / 4:30 pm PT
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TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Samford Could Cover the Spread
The reality of early-season college basketball is that even the very good teams, the teams which are expected to be great at the end of the season and contend for the Final Four and the national championship, are going through a natural period of adjustment. Players have learned how to play together in practice and offseason workouts, but those are no substitutes for the real live games which count, against determined opponents which have nothing to lose and are playing without fear. Samford will let it ride in this game. The Bulldogs can come out and attack Purdue. They will also have the knowledge that Fairleigh Dickinson chopped down the tall Boilermakers last March. That will help the visiting team play with confidence on the road. Purdue, if it is sluggish and not fully integrated into the flow of a live game, will play poorly enough to allow Samford to hang around and ultimately cover the spread.
Why Purdue Could Cover the Spread
The Boilermakers will not take this game lightly because they won't take this season lightly. Every Purdue player, especially Zach Edey, will be intent on finishing the job this season, on doing what last season's very good team failed to accomplish. Motivation is a powerful thing, and Purdue will have it in every game this season. Purdue is not going to lazily drift through the motions in these cupcake games against inferior teams.
Final Samford-Purdue Prediction & Pick
Purdue will play very hard and very well. Take Purdue.
Final Samford-Purdue Prediction & Pick: Purdue -19.5
