Prior to the start of the college basketball season, the Purdue Boilermakers were picked to win the Big Ten, with the Michigan Wolverines second. And with just 20 days remaining in the regular season, the top two Big Ten teams in the AP Top 25 poll are the Wolverines (No. 1) and the Boilermakers (No. 7).
On Tuesday, the two teams long thought to be the class of the conference collide when Michigan and Purdue square off at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind., in what may end up being the game of the year in the Big Ten.
The Wolverines (24-1, 14-1 in Big Ten) have won 10 in a row since a loss to Wisconsin on Jan. 10 and own a two-game lead over Illinois in the conference. They have dominated opponents all season by outrebounding opponents and generating extra shots.
Meanwhile, the Boilermakers (21-4, 11-3) are tied for third in the Big Ten, with Nebraska. They have won four in a row since a three-game skid threatened to derail their season.
Michigan is a 2.5-point favorite over Purdue on Tuesday night.
While Wolverines-Boilermakers is the marquee attraction on Tuesday, there are other options on a sporting landscape that includes a full college basketball schedule. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet on Tuesday, Feb. 17. All times Eastern.
College basketball best bets, where to watch
No. 1 Michigan at No. 7 Purdue
Time: 6:30 p.m. | Location: West Lafayette, Ind. | TV: Peacock | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Purdue +2.5 | Expert: Over 152.5 (Chip Patterson)
While the Wolverines have excelled on the boards this season (ranking 10th in the country in rebound margin, 9.8 per game), the Boilermakers are capable of hanging with Michigan on the glass. Purdue ranks 20th in the nation in rebound margin (7.6). On the other end of the court, the Boilermakers are No. 2 in the country in offensive efficiency (128.2 points per 100 possessions, according to KenPom). The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, says Purdue has a 69.0% chance to cover and assigns a B grade to Boilermakers +2.5. Meanwhile, Patterson is expecting a lot of points. “The key to the Over will be Braden Smith’s playmaking in a huge game on a Tuesday night in Mackey Arena,” he says. “The bet here is that the four-year starter has a big night and Purdue is ready to run it up into the 80s as well.”
No. 16 North Carolina at NC State
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Raleigh, N.C.| TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: North Carolina +6.5
Not only is star freshman Caleb Wilson (19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game) out for the North Carolina Tar Heels, but second-leading scorer Henri Veesaar (16.4) is questionable for Tuesday’s game with an Illness. The good news for the Tar Heels (20-5, 8-4 in ACC)? They’ll be facing a NC State Wolfpack team (18-8, 9-4) that is struggling right now, having lost two in a row. After the Wolfpack’s most recent loss, to Miami, coach Will Wade ripped his team publicly, calling his players “soft.” The SportsLine Projection Model says North Carolina has a 58.0% chance to cover and gives a C grade to Tar Heels +6.5. But make sure to check closer to opening tip for changes due to injury updates.
No. 21 Louisville at SMU
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Dallas | TV: ESPN2 | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: SMU +3.5
There are not many teams in the country with a backcourt like the SMU Mustangs’. Boopie Miller (18.9 points per game), Jaron Pierre Jr. (17.4) and B.J. Edwards (13.2) combine to score 56.5% of the team’s points. The Mustangs (17-8, 6-6 in ACC) also shoot 76.2% from the free throw line, which ranks 48th in the nation. That figures to benefit them against the Louisville Cardinals (19-6, 8-4), who are a high-fouling team (18.8 per game, 284th in the country). The SportsLine Projection Model says there’s a 59.0% chance SMU covers and assigns a B grade to Mustangs +3.5.
No. 9 Nebraska at Iowa
Time: 9 p.m. | Location: Iowa City | TV: Big Ten Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Iowa -1.5 | Expert: Nebraska +1.5 (Micah Roberts)
The Nebraska Cornhuskers (22-3, 11-3 in Big Ten) are the definition of three and D. They are 11th in Division I in 3-pointers made per game (11.0) and eighth in the nation in defensive efficiency (92.5 points per 100 possessions, according to KenPom). On Tuesday, they will face an Iowa Hawkeyes team (18-7, 8-6) that has lost back-to-back games and is coming off a 21-point blowout loss at home to Purdue. “Nebraska has proved that it is worthy of being a first-class tiered Big Ten squad,” Roberts says. The SportsLine Projection Model disagrees. It says that the Hawkeyes have a 65.0% chance to cover and gives a strong A grade to Iowa -1.5.
Looking ahead
Champions League: Newcastle United at Qarabag
Time: 12:45 p.m. Wednesday | Location: Baku, Azerbaijan | TV: Paramount+ | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Newcastle United -253 | Expert: Qarabag +1.5 (Jon Eimer)
Qarabag will look to continue their historic run through the Champions League when they host Newcastle United in the first leg of the knockout round playoffs. Thanks to wins over Frankfurt and Copenhagen and a draw against Chelsea — all at home — Qarabag are the first team from the Azerbaijan Premier League to reach the knockout round of the Champions League. The teams will play the second leg in the United Kingdom on Feb. 24. “Newcastle know if they just keep this close they can bring the second leg back home and dominate. I expect Qarabag to do what they did against Copenhagen, Chelsea and Frankfurt at home already, and cover this spread,” Eimer says. However, the SportsLine Projection Model likes Newcastle to win and assigns a strong A grade to the Newcastle money line (-253).
