Boilermakers Country

Point Spread: Line Dropping in Purdue's NCAA Game With High Point on Thursday

Purdue starts NCAA Tournament play on Thursday with a matchup against a High Point team that's won 14 games in a row. The Boilers are favored, but the line is dropping. Here's the latest on the point spread, and a good history behind the numbers.

Tom Brew

Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) calls out a play during the Boilermakers' Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game last Friday.
Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) calls out a play during the Boilermakers' Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game last Friday. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In this story:

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — It's NCAA Tournament time again for Purdue, as the Boilermakers tip off the 2025 event on the East Coast as the No. 4 seed taking on High Point.

After making a run all the way to the national championship game a year ago, the Boilers would love to win a couple of games here in Providence. Advancing to the regional would be coming home, sort of. The Midwest Regional is in Indianapolis.

Oddsmakers think the Boilers will get through the first round. They are a 7.5-point favorite against High Point, winners of the Big South regular season and conference tournament, as of 7 a.m. Thursday. The over/under is 154.5.

The line has shifted somewhat in High Point's favor. It opened at 8.5 points on Sunday night, and according to Las Vegas sportsbooks, 53 percent of the money thus far has been on High Point and the points.

Why? Well, here's an interesting number. Purdue is 3-3 in neutral court games this season, but just 1-5 against the spread. Could we see that again on Thursday?

High Point is 27-5 overall but just 17-15 against the spread. The Panthers are in the midst of a 14-game winning streak right now, and they haven't lost a game since Jan. 16. Success breeds confidence for sure, and going 63 days without losing has to feel good. They are 9-5 ATS during that winning streak.

The game starts at 12:40 p.m. ET. Here's all the information on how to watch. CLICK HERE The winner will play the Clemson-McNeese victor on Saturday.

Here's how Purdue has fared against the numbers this season:

Purdue by the numbers

  • Purdue overall record: 22-11
    Purdue overall vs. spread: 17-16
  • Purdue home record: 14-2
    Purdue home vs. spread: 10-6
  • Purdue road record: 5-6
    Purdue road vs spread: 6-5
  • Purdue neutral court record: 3-3
    Purdue road vs spread: 1-5
  • Purdue record as favorite: 20-5
    Purdue vs. spread as favorite: 14-11
  • Purdue record as underdog: 2-6
    Purdue vs. spread as underdog: 3-5
  • Indiana over total: 18
    Indiana under total: 15

What Purdue has done so far this season

  • Nov. 4 (Monday): No. 14 Purdue defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 90-73 at home as a 25.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (163) went over the 146.5-point over/under number. Record: 1-0.
  • Nov. 8 (Friday): No. 14 Purdue defeated Northern Kentucky 72-50 at home as a 20.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (122) went under the 147.5-point over/under total. Record: 2-0.
  • Nov. 11 (Monday): No. 13 Purdue defeated Yale 92-84 at home as a 14.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (178) went under the 146.5-point over/under total. Record: 3-0.
  • Nov. 15 (Friday): No. 13 Purdue defeated No. 2 Alabama 87-78 at home as a 3.5-point underdog (covered). The point total (165) went under the 166.5-point over/under total. Record: 4-0.
  • Nov. 19 (Tuesday): No. 6 Purdue lost to No. 15 Marquette 76-58 on the road as a 5.5-point underdog (did not cover). The point total (134) went under the 152.5-point over/under total. Record: 4-1.
  • Nov. 23 (Saturday): No. 6 Purdue defeated Marshall 80-45 at home as a 20.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (125) went under the 148.5-point over/under total. Record: 5-1.
  • Nov. 28 (Thursday): No. 13 Purdue defeated N.C. State 71-61 in San Diego as a 6.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (132) went under the 146.5-point over/under total. Record: 6-1.
  • Nov. 29 (Friday): No. 13 Purdue defeated No. 23 Ole Miss 80-78 in San Diego as a 2.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (158) went over the 145.5-point over/under total. Record: 7-1.
  • Dec. 5 (Thursday): No. 8 Purdue lost to Penn State 81-70 on the road as a 2.5-point underdog (did not cover). The point total (151) went over the 148.5-point over/under total. Record: 7-2, 0-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Dec. 8 (Sunday): No. 8 Purdue beat Maryland 83-78 at home as a 4.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (161) went over the 143.5-point over/under total. Record: 8-2, 1-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Dec. 14 (Saturday): No. 11 Purdue lost to No. 17 Texas A&M 70-66 in Indianapolis as a 1.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (136) went under the 143.5-point over/under total. Record: 8-3, 1-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Dec. 21 (Saturday): No. 16 Purdue lost to No. 2 Auburn 87-69 in Birmingham, Ala. as a 10.5-point underdog (did not cover). The point total (156) went over the 149.5-point over/under total. Record: 8-4, 1-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Dec. 29 (Sunday): No. 21 Purdue beat Toledo 83-64 at home as a 22.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (147) went under the 155.5-point over/under total. Record: 9-4, 1-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 2 (Thursday): No. 20 Purdue beat Minnesota 81-61 on the road as a 5.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (142) went over the 134.5-point over/under total. Record: 10-4, 2-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 5 (Sunday): No. 20 Purdue beat Northwestern 79-61 at home as a 6.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (140) went over the 138.5-point over/under total. Record: 11-4, 3-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 9 (Thursday): No. 20 Purdue beat Rutgers 68-50 on the road as a 2.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (118) went under the 148.5-point over/under total. Record: 12-4, 4-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 12 (Sunday): No. 20 Purdue beat Nebraska 104-68 at home as an 8.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (172) went over the 141.5-point over/under total. Record: 13-4, 5-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 15 (Wednesday): No. 17 Purdue beat Washington 69-58 on the road as a 7.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (127) went under the 142.5-point over/under total. Record: 14-4, 6-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 18 (Saturday): No. 17 Purdue beat No. 13 Oregon 65-58 on the road as a 3.5-point underdog (covered). The point total (123) went under the 147.5-point over/under total. Record: 15-4, 7-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 21 (Tuesday): No. 11 Purdue lost to Ohio State 73-70 at home as a 9.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (143) went over the 141.5-point over/under total. Record: 15-5, 7-2 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 24 (Friday): No. 11 Purdue beat No. 21 Michigan 91-64 at home as a 4.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (155) went over the 149.5-point over/under total. Record: 16-5, 8-2 in the Big Ten.
  • Jan. 31 (Friday): No. 10 Purdue beat Indiana 81-76 at home as a 12.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (157) went over the 146.5-point over/under total. Record: 17-5, 9-2 in the Big Ten.
  • Feb. 4 (Tuesday): No. 7 Purdue beat Iowa 90-81 on the road as a 6.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (171) went over the 156.5-point over/under total. Record: 18-5,10-2 in the Big Ten.
  • Feb. 7 (Friday): No. 7 Purdue beat USC 90-72 at home as a 13.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (162) went over the 145.5-point over/under total. Record: 19-5,11-2 in the Big Ten.
  • Feb. 11 (Tuesday): No. 7 Purdue lost to No. 20 Michigan 75-73 on the road as a 3.5-point underdog (covered). The point total (148) went under the 153.5-point over/under total. Record: 19-6,11-3 in the Big Ten.
  • Feb. 15 (Saturday): No. 7 Purdue lost to No. 16 Wisconsin 94-84 at home as a 6.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (178) went over the 152.5-point over/under total. Record: 19-7,11-4 in the Big Ten.
  • Feb. 18 (Tuesday): No. 13 Purdue lost to No. 14 Michigan State 75-66 on the road as a 3.5-point underdog (did not cover). The point total (141) went under the 148.5-point over/under total. Record: 19-8,11-5 in the Big Ten.
  • Feb. 23 (Sunday): No. 13 Purdue lost to Indiana 73-58 on the road as a 3.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (131) went under the 148.5-point over/under total. Record: 19-9,11-6 in the Big Ten.
  • Feb. 28 (Friday): No. 20 Purdue beat UCLA 76-66 at home as a 5.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (142) went over the 138.5-point over/under total. Record: 20-9,12-6 in the Big Ten.
  • March 4 (Tuesday): No. 18 Purdue beat Rutgers 100-71 at home as a 10.5-point favorite (covered). The point total (171) went over the 153.5-point over/under total. Record: 21-9,13-6 in the Big Ten.
  • March 7 (Friday): No. 18 Purdue lost to Illinois 88-80 on the road as a 3.5-point underdog (did not cover). The point total (168) went over the 157.5-point over/under total. Record: 21-10,13-7 in the Big Ten.
  • March 13 (Thursday): No. 20 Purdue beat USC 76-71 in the Big Ten Tournament second round as a 9.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (147) went under the 149.5-point over/under total. Record: 22-10,13-7 in the Big Ten.
  • March 14 (Friday): No. 20 Purdue lost to No. 22 Michigan 86-68 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals as a 2.5-point favorite (did not cover). The point total (154) went over the 147.5-point over/under total. Record: 22-11,13-7 in the Big Ten.

Related stories on Purdue-High Point

  • WHAT MATT PAINTER SAID: Purdue coach Matt Painter spoke with reporters ahead of Thursday's first round matchup vs. High Point. Here's everything the coach had to say.CLICK HERE
  • STEFANOVIC, THOMPSON PROVIDE GUIDANCE: Purdue has made 10 straight NCAA Tournaments and has been a top-four seed a nation's best eight years in a row. Former Boilers turned coaches Sasha Stefanovic and P.J. Thompson are young enough to spread Matt Painter's message to their players. "As you get older, the youth of America doesn't listen as well, P.J. and Sasha's voices are important,'' Painter said. CLICK HERE
  • TOM BREW COLUMN: No. 4 seed Purdue takes on No. 13 High Point on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament, and it's a big deal for second-year coach Alan Huss. He spent nearly a decade coaching in Northern Indiana, and knows Purdue and coach Matt Painter well. He talked about those experiences during Wednesday's press conference in Providence, R.I. CLICK HERE
  • PAINTER GETS A LAUGH: Purdue coach Matt Painter had an epic quote comparing player development and the transfer portal to marriage, drawing a big laugh from the media. CLICK HERE
  • NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE TRACKER: Here is our bracket story, with dates, game times, TV information and more for every game in the NCAA Tournament. Follow along in real time with updates throughout all 16 games on Thursday. CLICK HERE
Published
Tom Brew
TOM BREW

Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who's worked at some America's finest newspapers, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Indianapolis Star. He also owns the book publishing company, Hilltop30 Publishing Group, and he has written four books and published 16 others.

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