Happy Tuesday, fellow sports bettors! Friday was rough for us on the college hardwood, as our player props went 1-2 to run our record to 11-11 on the young season. Our Unders are a pitiful 2-7 so far this year, but we have to stay the course and keep firing!
Both of our Friday losses were on Unders, as Jack Clark of VCU and Malik Mack of Georgetown sent us to bed without our supper. Thankfully, Xzavier Brown of St. Joe's cashed our Over ticket to keep us from the dreadful golden sombrero.
Though I'm disappointed to be back at just .500 for the season, I'm confident that things will turn around very quickly. There are lots of close losses by the hook when betting player props, so you have to be mentally tough and just keep grinding. Let's get into today's plays!
Online sportsbooks opened this line at Purdue -9.5 on yesterday's lookahead line. That number isn't all that surprising, especially since the Boilermakers have won 26 straight home games. The point spread is now in the 10 to 10.5 range.
As for the game total, there has been a little bit of movement for the Over up to this point. The line opened at 140.5 but has ticked up to 141.5 at some spots despite the strength of both defenses. As always, be sure to shop around for the best price no matter which side or total you're playing.
OSU at Purdue: 7:30 PM EST (Peacock)
Thornton is a key piece of this Buckeyes offense, as he leads the team in both points per game and assists per game. This kid is a seasoned leader who typically plays 36 minutes or more per game. Thornton also takes at least 10 field goal attempts per game, and he gets to the free throw line a decent amount.
Ohio State is desperate for a quality win to improve their NCAA Tournament chances, and I look for them to rely heavily on Thorton in this one. Also, if Devin Royal (sprained wrist) misses this game I like Thorton's chances to go Over this number even more. That should mean more shots for a seasoned vet like Thornton, whose median is 18 points this season.
Purdue doesn't have a terrible defense, but they rank just 225th at defending two-point shots. Some of that is due to their tough schedule, but I still think this is a solid matchup for Thornton. Give me the Over!
OSU at Purdue: 7:30 PM EST (Peacock)
Here's another scary Under, but keep in mind that we did cash an Under on Kaufmann-Renn a little over a week ago. Sure, the 6'9" junior is a beast down low for Purdue, but his median point total is just 17 this season.
Even though Kaufmann-Renn is the Boilermakers' top offensive player, we have to remember that this team is balanced and deep. Braden Smith could end up taking more shots than he usually does and that would help our case for the Under on Kaufmann-Renn.
Lastly, Ohio State has a fierce defense. The Buckeyes rank an impressive 21st in opponent effective field goal percentage. Kaufmann-Renn will easily get into double figures, but I don't see him scoring 21 or more. Let's hold our collective breath and play the Under!