Purdue vs. High Point: 2025 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks

by BettingPros Staff |
Mar 16, 2025

The 2025 NCAA Tournament is officially here! The March Madness Bracket is set, and first-round NCAA Tournament matchups are in place. It’s time to make your picks and predictions for the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament! We’re here to help as we’ll have picks and predictions for each of the first-round 2025 NCAA Tournament games. Here are our top picks and predictions for Purdue vs. High Point.

2025 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks: Purdue vs. High Point

Let’s dive into our top picks and predictions for this opening-round NCAA Tournament matchup.

2025 NCAA Tournament Preview: Purdue vs. High Point

Purdue 2025 NCAA Tournament Preview

The Boilermakers are heading into the tournament, and in case you weren't aware, they no longer have Zach Edey. That has caused some clear issues, but let's start with the positives.

This year’s team is really impressive on offense, showcasing some serious shooting skills from all parts of the court. Big Ten Player of the Year Braden Smith is a dynamic playmaker with the highest assist rate among any DI player. Then there’s Fletcher Loyer, who adds to the perimeter threat with his impressive shooting. I must note that while Loyer shot 46% from deep on the year, that number jumps to over 50% at home and drops to 36% on the road — a serious step down when playing away from Mackey Arena. It’s Trey Kaufman-Renn who has had to step up in the biggest way without Edey. Kaufman-Renn averages 20.2 points and 6.2 rebounds a game, both team-leading.

Defense is the question though. Purdue’s near-proximity defense is among the worst in college hoops and is going to be a serious Achilles heel against bigger teams. Purdue also has some of the pronounced home/road splits of any tournament team, ranking 362nd in Haslametrics’ away-from-home metric. This, combined with their inconsistent and sub-50-ranked defense, makes the Boilermakers vulnerable to early upsets against any team that can get hot from deep and take advantage of their weak interior offense.

Still, head coach Matt Painter's system has proven successful over the years, and after Purdue’s run to the championship game in last year’s tournament, it's clear he knows how to win. We all remember what happened two years ago, though.

High Point 2025 NCAA Tournament Preview

High Point enters March Madness as one of college basketball’s most compelling mid-major stories under second-year coach Alan Huss, who orchestrated the best season in program history so far. The Panthers feature a remarkably loaded roster with an embarrassment of riches that would impress even high-major programs, with the 55th most bench minutes in DI. Their offensive attack is led by dynamic guard Kezza Giffa alongside Kansas transfer Bobby Pettiford, who can get to the rim at will.

The frontcourt is anchored by Kimani Hamilton, a versatile basket-attacking, athletic forward, and the dominant 7-footer and Big South Defensive Player of the Year Juslin Bodo Bodo. Bodo Bodo not only anchors the Panthers’ interior defense but has the best offensive rebounding percentage in the country. The team is supplemented by sharpshooters D’Maurian Williams, Chase Johnston, and Trae Benham. To emphasize the depth of this squad, High Point was down 48-33 to Winthrop in the conference championship before Huss put in his bench that finished the game on a 48-21 run. This deep, experienced team employs an offensive system reminiscent of Huss’s time at Creighton, featuring relentless rim attacks, sophisticated pick-and-roll actions, and excellent spot-up shooting that powered them to a top-30 national ranking in offensive efficiency this year.

They have the nation’s longest winning streak heading into the tournament and any player can get hot for some potential madness. You can’t exactly say they are battle-tested with the 330th-lowest non-con SOS but they have the talent to disrupt.

2025 NCAA Tournament Predictions: Purdue vs. High Point

This first-round matchup between Purdue and High Point should see plenty of points scored. Purdue is seventh in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency and 11th in field-goal percentage. The Boilermakers, led by Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Ren, were first in the Big Ten in both three-point shooting (38.0%) and two-point offense (57.7%). Though they play at a slow pace (297th in Division I), they're still capable of dropping big point totals. Purdue scored 80+ points 10 different times in Big Ten play and put up 87 against Alabama earlier this season. Meanwhile, High Point ranks 227th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and hasn't faced an attack nearly as talented as Purdue's this year. Yet, High Point has an elite-level offense as well that cannot be taken lightly. The Panthers are 25th in offensive efficiency and 7th in field-goal percentage. In this matchup in particular, High Point can score inside as Purdue is terrible at defending the paint (350th in two-point defense). Bank on a high-scoring game with High Point matching Purdue's offensive success.

2025 NCAA Tournament Picks: Purdue vs. High Point

Over 153.5 (-110)

Check out all of our 2025 NCAA Tournament Bracket & Betting Coverage >>

2025 NCAA Tournament Sports Betting Picks

For those looking to place bets on the matchups, let's take a look at the early odds and picks for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

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