PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND – MARCH 22: Camden Heide #23 and Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrate after defeating the McNeese State Cowboys in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Amica Mutual Pavillion on March 22, 2025 in Providence, Rhode Island. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Riding a 15-game winning streak, top-seeded Houston (32-4) seeks to keep their momentum against No. 4 seed Purdue (24-11) Friday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Sweet 16 matchup tips off at 10:09 p.m. ET.
Houston's defense has been formidable this season, leading the nation in points allowed per game (58.4) and ranking third in opponent field goal percentage (38.4%). The Cougars' defensive prowess was on full display last week during their first-round win, forcing 13 turnovers and getting six blocks while holding SIU-Edwardsville to just 40 points.
All-American guard L.J. Cryer has stepped up his scoring production in the tournament by averaging 22.5 points per game in the opening rounds.
Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn leads the country in field goals made and averages 20.3 points per game. In the team's second-round win over McNeese, Kaufman-Renn dropped 22 points, pulled in 15 rebounds, and dished out three assists.
Purdue's starting lineup also includes guard Braden Smith (16.0 points and 8.5 assists per game) and guard Fletcher Loyer (13.7 points per game, shooting 45.1% from three-point range).
The winner advances to the Elite Eight to face the winner between No. 2 seed Tennessee and No. 3 seed Kentucky in the Midwest Regional.
Spread
- Purdue +8.5 (-112)
- Houston -8.5 (-108)
Moneyline
- Purdue +318
- Houston -408
Total
- OVER 131.5 (-111)
- UNDER 131.5 (-109)
*The above data was collected on March 28, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Purdue vs. Houston Betting Trends
- Houston is 19-16-0 against the spread this year, while Purdue has gone 19-15-0.
- Both teams average a combined 152.2 points per game, which is 20.7 more than the TOTAL.
- Purdue has hit the UNDER in both of their NCAA Tournament games this season.
- Houston scores 74.5 points per game, which is just 3.9 more than what Purdue allows on average (70.6).
- Purdue scores 77.7 points per game, which is 19.3 points more than what Houston allows on average (58.4).
- Houston has gone 22-2 in games when playing as a moneyline favorite with odds of -410 or shorter.
Purdue vs. Houston Injury Reports
Purdue
- Daniel Jacobsen, C - Out (knee)
Houston
- Ramon Walker, G - Out (hand)
- Jacob McFarland, C - Out (leg)
Purdue vs. Houston Predictions and Picks
"Oddsmakers are rightfully giving the Rebels a ton of respect after their wins over North Carolina and Iowa State. It's worth noting that Ole Miss was the underdog in both those games but led by a wide margin for the vast majority of both contests. If you're insisting on backing an underdog in the Sweet 16, the odds say that Ole Miss coach Chris Beard's is the one with the best shot." — Tyler Everett, Newsweek
"The Cougars have the best defense in the country, and if they are on their game on that end of the floor, they can go ahead and punch their ticket to the Elite Eight. They are 30-0 when they hold the opposition under 70 points, and they have lost just one game since the beginning of December. Point guard Milos Uzan will be the X-factor on both ends of the floor. The Boilermakers survived a pair of upset-minded mid-major teams in High Point and McNeese to get to the Sweet 16, but the competition ramps up to another level in this one." — Joel Reuter, Bleacher Report
"No upset here. Houston has won 26 of its past 27 games and owns the nation's longest winning streak at 15. The Cougars enter the Sweet 16 at 32-4, with three of its losses coming in overtime. The Boilermakers live and die by star big man Trey Kaufman-Renn. He has a size advantage over the Cougars' post options at 6-foot-9 but will struggle to get his against a tough Kelvin Sampson defense. Houston held Gonzaga's 6-foot-10 Braden Huff to 11 points and four rebounds in the Round of 32." — Grant Hughes, 247Sports
