The top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers will look to continue their dominant run as they take on the 11th-seeded NC State Wolfpack on Saturday in a 2024 NCAA Tournament Final Four matchup in Glendale, Ariz. The Boilermakers (33-4), who have won 30 or more games for just the second time in program history, have won their first four tournament games by a combined 85 points. Purdue is also looking to reach the national championship game for the first time in 55 years, while NC State last made it in 1983. The Wolfpack (26-14), who are taking part in their fourth Final Four, have earned two national championships -- 1974 and 1983.
The game from State Farm Stadium will tip off at 6:09 p.m. ET. Purdue is ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.68, while NC State is 61st at 1.38. The Boilermakers are 9-point favorites in the latest North Carolina State vs. Purdue odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 146. Before making any Purdue vs. NC State picks, you need to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Zack Cimini.
A Las Vegas handicapper who's never afraid to buck conventional wisdom, Cimini enters the Final Four as SportsLine's most profitable college basketball expert. He's 85-60-2 on his last 147 college basketball picks, returning $1,850 for $100 players. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, Cimini has set his sights on NC State vs. Purdue and just locked in his Final Four predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Purdue vs. NC State:
- NC State vs. Purdue spread: Purdue -9
- NC State vs. Purdue over/under: 146 points
- NC State vs. Purdue money line: NC State +337, Purdue -438
- NCST: The Wolfpack are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games
- PUR: The Boilermakers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games
- NC State vs. Purdue picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Purdue can cover
Senior center Zach Edey continues to dominate the opposition. The two-time National Player of the Year became the fifth player in NCAA history with 900 points and 450 rebounds in a season. He is the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1960 to lead the country in points per game and make the Final Four. Edey has started all 27 games for the Boilermakers, and is averaging 25 points, 12.2 rebounds and two assists in 31.6 minutes.
Sophomore guard Fletcher Loyer has been red hot from long range. In his last 27 games, he has connected on 45 of 94 3-pointers (47.9%), and is averaging 13 points, four assists and 1.7 rebounds in the last three games. He hit 16 of 27 3-pointers (59.3%) in the month of March, and the Boilermakers are 29-5 over the past two seasons when he makes two or more 3-pointers. In 37 starts on the season, he is averaging 10.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and two assists. See which team to pick here.
Why NC State can cover
Junior forward Mohamed Diarra has been a big reason why the Wolfpack have been on fire over the last month. He has seven double-doubles on the year, but five have come since the ACC Tournament. In the Wolfpack's 67-58 win over Marquette in the Sweet 16 on March 29, he scored 11 points and pulled down 15 boards. He had 17 points and 12 rebounds in an 80-67 win over Texas Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. For the year, he has started 21 of the 39 games he has played in, and is averaging 6.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and one block in 21.9 minutes.
Senior guard D.J. Horne is supplying a lot of offense for NC State. In 39 games, including 35 starts, he is averaging 16.8 points in 32.4 minutes. Horne is connecting on 43.8% of his field goals, including a blistering 40.9% from 3-point range, and 81.1% from the free-throw line. He is coming off a 20-point, four-rebound and three-assist effort against Duke in the Elite Eight. See which team to pick here.
How to make NC State vs. Purdue picks
Cimini is leaning Under on the point total, and he also has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. You can only find out what it is, and see which side to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins NC State vs. Purdue, and what critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Join SportsLine right now to see which picks you should be all over on Saturday, all from the expert who is on an 85-60-2 roll on his college basketball picks, and find out.
