What Are the Payout Odds If McNeese State Wins Against Purdue?

McNeese State will pay out $220 for every $100 bet should they upset Purdue wagering on the moneyline Saturday.

The 12th-seeded Cowboys used a stifling first half to open a 24-point lead, and then held off late-charging No. 5 seed Clemson for the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory, a 69-67 win in the opening round of the East Region on Thursday.

“We have broken every record in the book,” said McNeese coach Will Wade, who led the school to its first back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament and now its first victory. “This was the last one to get. We want to keep this going. We want to keep this going.”

McNeese earned a matchup on Saturday with fourth-seeded Purdue, a 75-63 winner over High Point earlier in Providence.

Action on Saturday's game against Purdue was mostly balanced.

Hammering Hank of The Action Network had this to offer:

Brandon Murray led McNeese with 21 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field.

Yes, that win versus Clemson was impressive, but I don’t think the Cowboys can repeat that performance versus Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers.

Purdue looked solid in its Round of 64 game versus High Point. I took Purdue -7.5 that game and cashed it, as Purdue won by 12, 75-63. Trey Kaufman-Renn led the squad with 21 points and shot 10-of-16 from the field.

Looking at this upcoming matchup, I think that the Boilermakers are just too deep for McNeese. Big Ten Player of the Year Braden Smith is in peak form and Purdue matches up well against Will Wade’s team.

Both of these teams like to play slow, but if Purdue’s offense can limit turnovers and knock down its 3s, I don’t see how it doesn't win by 10+.

Expect Purdue to make a statement, as I can see McNeese becoming a popular pick on Saturday. Not for me, though.

Winners and Whiners believe otherwise:

The Cowboys have a better-than-average chance of reaching the final 16 teams with a win on Saturday. They come into this game riding high after picking up their first-ever tourney win and should have a significant advantage on the defensive end against Purdue. They are 12th in the country in scoring defense and come off an opener that saw them hold a talented Clemson offense to just 13 points at the half. Some of the comeback came in the latter stages of the game and Clemson was going for broke. Until then, the Cowboys were able to dictate pace and dominate the painted area. The Cowboys will need to get out on the perimeter against the Boilermakers, a team coming off just a 5-of-15 performance from 3-point range. Momentum is a curious thing and the Cowboys certainly have it. This will come down to their ability to rebound, defend the three, and hit their free throws. Wade has his team playing loose and confident. That'll carry over on Saturday.

Take McNeese State +7