Purdue Modest Favorite For Must-Win Game at Northwestern on Wednesday

Purdue is still a half-game behind Illinois in the Big Ten race, so Wednesday night's game at Northwestern is critical for their title hopes. Here's the latest on the opening point spread, and a complete breakdown on what both teams have done against the spread this season.

EVANSTON, Ill. — Purdue is back in chase mode again in the Big Ten race, and the Boilermakers need to win on the road again on Wednesday night to stay in the race.

The Boilermakers travel to Evanston to take on the Northwestern Wildcats Wednesday night in Welsh-Ryan Arena. Just a half-game behind Illinois, this is a must-win game for Purdue if it wants to win the Big Ten, an important goal for them all season long.

Purdue is a 6-point favorite in this critical Big Ten game,  which starts at 9 p.m. ET. The over/under is 146.

Purdue is 22-4 overall and 11-4 in the Big Ten, a half-game behind 11-3 Illinois. They have been favored in 25 of their first 26 games, and won Sunday — just barely — against Maryland 

The Boilermakers are 14-12 against the spread, and are 9-7 in games in West Lafayette. In true road games, they are 3-4 against the spread.

Here's what the Boilermakers have done so far this season:

• Nov. 9 — Beat Bellarmine 96-67 as a 24.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 12 — Beat Indiana State 92-67 as a 22.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 16 — Beat Wright State 96-52 as a 16-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 20 — Beat No. 18 North Carolina 93-84 in Uncasville, Conn. as a 7.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 21 — Beat No. 5 Villanova 80-74 in Uncasville, Conn. as a 3-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 26 — Beat Omaha 97-40 as a 36.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 30— Beat Florida State 93-65 as a 11.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 3 — Beat Iowa 77-70 as a 15.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 9 — Lost at Rutgers 70-68 as a 13.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 12 — Beat N.C. State 82-72 in OT in Brooklyn as a 14.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 18 — Beat Butler 77-48 in Indianapolis as a 15.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 20 — Beat Incarnate Word 79-59 as a 39-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 29 — Beat Nicholls 104-90 as a 28.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 3— Lost to No. 22 Wisconsin 74-69 as a 12.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 8— Won at Penn State 74-67 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 14— Beat Nebraska 92-65 as a 20.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 17— Won at No. 17 Illinois 96-88 in 2-OT as a 1.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 20 — Lost at Indiana 68-65 as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 23 — Beat Northwestern 80-60 as a 12-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 27 — Won at Iowa 83-73 as a 2.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 30 — Beat No. 16 Ohio State 81-78 as a 9-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 3 — Won at Minnesota 88-73 as an 11-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 5 — Beat Michigan 83-76 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 8 — Beat No. 13 Illinois 84-68 as a 6-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 10 — Lost at Michigan 82-58 as a 4-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 13 — Beat Maryland 62-61 as a 16.5-point favorite (lost)

Northwestern is 12-11 overall and 5-9 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats are 11-12 against the spread all season. In Big Ten home games, they are just 2-5 straight up, and 2-5 against the spread.

Here's what Northwestern has done so far this season:

• Nov. 9 — Beat Eastern Illinois 80-56 as a 23-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 12 — Beat High Point 95-69 as a 19-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 16 — Beat New Orleans 83-67 as an 20.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 18 — Beat Fairleigh Dickinson 82-46 as a 23.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 22 — Lost to Providence 77-72 in the Roman Legends Classic in Newark, N.J.. as a 1.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 23 — Beat Georgia 78-62 in the Roman Legends Classic in Newark, N.J.. as a 8-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 30 — Lost at Wake Forest 77-73 in OT in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge as a 2-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 5 — Won at Maryland 67-61 as a 5.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 12 — Beat NJIT 70-52 as a 20.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 18 — Versus DePaul, cancelled (COVID)
• Dec. 20— Beat Illinois-Springfield 90-50 as a 30.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 30 — Versus Prairie View A&M, cancelled (COVID)
• Jan. 2 —Lost to No. 10 Michigan State 73-67 as a 3-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 5 — Lost to Penn State 74-70 as a 7.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 9— Lost at No. 13 Ohio State 95-87 as a 7.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 12 — Lost to Maryland 94-87 in 2-OT as a 5.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 15 — Won at No. 10 Michigan State 64-62 as a 9.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 18 — Lost to No. 8 Wisconsin 82-76 as a 2-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 23 —Lost at No. 4 Purdue 80-60 as as 12.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan, 26— Lost at Michigan 72-70 as as 8.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 29 — Lost to No. 18 Illinois 59-56 as a 5.5-point underdog (won)
• Feb. 1 — Beat Rutgers 79-78 in OT as a 5.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 5 — Won at Nebraska 87-63 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 8 — Beat Indiana 59-51 as a 1-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 13 — Lost at No. 13 Illinois 73-66 as a 10-.5 points underdog (won)