The Incarnate Word Cardinals and Purdue Boilermakers meet at Mackey Arena on Monday night. It will be the final game for Incarnate Word and Purdue before Christmas break.
Purdue will take on Nicholls State on December 29 and then a matchup with much bigger stakes versus the Wisconsin Badgers on January 3.
Purdue enters tonight with a record of 10-1, with their only slip up a 70-68 loss versus the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on the road on December 9.
Staying level.
3️⃣ in the AP Top 25 for 2nd straight week. pic.twitter.com/O3RugWc0Py
— Purdue Mens Basketball (@BoilerBall) December 20, 2021
Purdue responded with a tough win on the road at NC State, 82-72 OT, and then a blowout of Butler on Saturday, 77-48. Butler isn’t what they used to be, that’s for certain.
The Boilermakers are going into the new week ranked No. 3 in the country. They would be a spot ahead of the Duke Blue Devils if Rutgers didn’t get to them.
Purdue is a very well-balanced team that can beat an opponent in many ways. Are they still going to be the best team in the Big Ten come March?
That’s up for debate. There have been slow starters in the conference that are better than they’ve shown early on. Michigan, for one, has a world of talent but hasn’t exactly put it all together thus far.
Incarnate Word is not looking for a strong push in March. Maybe March of 2025, but right now, it’s all about looking out for the future.
The Cardinals have to attract some decent recruits to their program, which will start with playing competent basketball. Competent isn’t a strong word in the Incarnate Word vocabulary at 2-9, with their only wins against Our Lady of the Lake and Grambling State.
Head below for our free Incarnate Word vs. Purdue pick on December 20, 2021.
Incarnate Word Cardinals vs. Purdue Boilermakers Betting Odds and Team Statistics:
The following odds are courtesy of BetUS:
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incarnate Word Cardinals | +38.5 (-110) | OFF | Over 145 (-105) |
| Purdue Boilermakers | -38.5 (-110) | OFF | Under 145 (-115) |
| Team Data | Incarnate Word Cardinals | Purdue Boilermakers |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 2-9 | 10-1 |
| ATS Record | 4-5-0 | 7-4-0 |
| Away/Home Record | 0-3 | 6-0 |
| ATS Away/Home | 1-2-0 | 4-2-0 |
| Points Per Game | 68.2 | 86.5 |
| Points Against Per Game | 79.8 | 64.5 |
| Field Goal % | 43.8 | 51.6 |
| Three Point % | 34.9 | 41.2 |
Incarnate Word vs. Purdue Prediction:
Incarnate Word hasn’t played a tough schedule this season, though there are exceptions for blowout losses against Baylor and Texas Tech.
Weak offenses have been able to score on Incarnate Word at will, so it’s not just a matter of Baylor and Texas Tech skewing their defensive numbers.
The Cardinals have allowed 79.8 points per game. That’s what happens when opponents shoot an incredible 50.5% from the field and 41.1% from three against them.
There aren’t too many teams in the NCAA that are worse than Incarnate Word in that regard. They are 357th in the country in field goal percentage allowed.
Their biggest woe in this one will be their inability to rebound well. Purdue is one of the best in the country, as they’re first in defensive and 20th in offensive rebounding.
Incarnate Word Cardinals vs. Purdue Boilermakers Betting Trends:
Incarnate Word
- 1-4 ATS in their previous five games on the road
- 0-4 ATS in their previous four games as an underdog
- 2-5 ATS in their previous seven games after failing to cover the spread
- 1-4 ATS in their previous five games versus a team with a winning record
- 4-11 ATS in their previous 15 games versus a team with a winning home record
Purdue
- 5-1 ATS in their previous six games at Mackey Arena
- 4-0 ATS in their previous four games versus a team with a losing record
- 7-2-1 ATS in their previous ten games versus a team with a winning percentage below 40%
- 12-4 ATS in their previous 16 games after allowing less than 50 points
- 4-1 ATS in their previous five games on a Monday
The Boilermakers likely control the pace and name the score in this contest. Purdue has one of the best offenses in the NCAA and can top 90 points if the Boilermakers are interested.
Purdue is in the top-5 in the nation with 86.5 points per game and a 51.6% field goal percentage. They have been hitting from outside with a three-point percentage of 41.2%.
Expect them to control a defense that has struggled defending on the perimeter. The three-guard combo of Jaden Ivey, Sasha Stefanovic, and Isaiah Thompson should pose a big problem for Incarnate Word.
If they want to attack the Cardinals down low at the rim, Trevion Williams should dominate in the paint. Williams goes into tonight with 13.8 points and 9 rebounds per game on 61.2% shooting.
Look for Purdue to name the score and pull away from Incarnate Word in a hurry. This matchup looks like a 91-47 win if there is interest from the Boilermakers.
MORE FREE SPORTS BETTING PICKS!
