Houston vs. Purdue: 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Predictions
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will host four strong teams who have hopes of advancing to Sunday's Midwest Regional Final. Both matchups are chalk as the top-seeded Houston takes on the 4-seed Purdue while the 2-seed vs 3-seed matchup pits SEC foes Tennessee and Kentucky. Take a look at these matchups with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. And below we dive into 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game Houston vs. Purdue.
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Best NCAA Tournament Predictions: Houston vs. Purdue
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Houston vs. Purdue
The Houston Cougars have the nation's longest winning streak with 15. They've done it with elite defense and the best three-point shooting in the country. They've continued that hot shooting in the tournament as they've gone 18-of-44 from deep, good enough for 40.9%. This has made up for a poor inside game that is a result of being a below-average-sized team that doesn't boast a single player over 6’8.
Purdue has made their name in the tournament over the last decade or so with their incredible big men in both size and skill. They certainly have the skill down in Trey Kauffman-Renn but at 6’9 he doesn't have the size of some of his predecessors. This has resulted in the Boilermakers allowing 56.2% from two-point territory on the year, one of the worst marks in the country. They've made their way through this season led by their guards and strong three-point shooting.
Purdue has been a team that allows opponents to attempt 42.8% of their shots from deep. If that's the case against Houston they could be in for a long night on the defensive end. Conversely, Purdue will need to lean on Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer who combine to shoot 41.3% from deep and should be able to get shots off against Houston. Both of these teams like to slow it down and that's why this total is low. However, the elite shotmaking from deep against defenses that allow three-point attempts could allow this one to be sneaky high-scoring.
Pick: Total Over 132.5 (-110)