How to bet Saint Peter's-Purdue in Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament

Will Saint Peter's continue its Cinderella run?

Once No. 15 Saint Peter’s upset No. 2 Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament, all doubts about what the Peacocks could potentially accomplish went out the window. They beat a team with top four odds to win the entire tournament. It’s no longer a question of if they can beat No. 3 Purdue in Friday’s Sweet 16 matchup, it’s simply about whether they will or not.

The Boilermakers, favored to win by 12.5 points on Tipico Sportsbook, will have a say in that, though. And even in a loss, Kentucky may have given them a blueprint to victory.

No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 15 Saint Peter’s

Spread: Purdue -12.5 (-120)

Moneyline: Purdue (-1000), Saint Peter’s (+600)

Point Total: 134.5

Kentucky big Oscar Tshiebwe dominated Saint Peter’s with 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting and 16 rebounds, including six offensive boards. The Peacocks didn’t have the size to compete with him on the interior and that’s likely to again be a problem against Purdue’s Zach Edey — who is six inches taller than Tshiebwe at 7-foot-4 — and Trevion Williams, who led Purdue with 22 points in the second round.

That threat on the interior is why Purdue’s moneyline is a safe bet. Edey and Williams can attract attention when they’re not scoring, and make the half-court game easier for perimeter guys like Jaden Ivey against an otherwise capable defense.

However, on the other end, Purdue may find it tough to keep up with some of the slashing, cutting and motion stuff Saint Peter’s does on offense. The Peacocks averaged 77.5 points through the first two rounds against teams that play better defense. Not to mention, they’re just playing with a lot of heart and energy right now. They won’t go out without a fight, which is why they’re a good pick to cover the spread in a game that goes over the 134.5-point total.

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