The Miami (FL) Hurricanes play the Purdue Boilermakers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament from St. Louis, Missouri. Tip-off is set for 12:10 p.m. ET on CBS.
Purdue is favored by -7.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -340. Meanwhile, Miami (FL) is the underdog at +7.5 with a moneyline of +270. The total is set at 147.5 points.
Here’s my Miami (FL) vs. Purdue predictions and college basketball picks for March 22, 2026.
Miami (FL) vs Purdue Prediction
My Pick: Miami +7.5 (Play to +6)
My Miami (FL) vs Purdue best bet is on the Hurricanes to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Miami (FL) vs Purdue Odds
| Miami (FL) Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 147.5 -110o / -110u | +270 |
| Purdue Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 147.5 -110o / -110u | -340 |
- Miami (FL) vs Purdue spread: Purdue -7.5
- Miami (FL) vs Purdue over/under: 147.5 points
- Miami (FL) vs Purdue moneyline: Miami (FL) +270, Purdue -340
Miami (FL) vs Purdue Kalshi Odds
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Miami (FL) vs Purdue College Basketball Betting Preview
Purdue Basketball
I felt lukewarm on Purdue until it won four straight games in the Big Ten Tournament, including one over Michigan.
The Boilermakers passed Illinois for the top spot in offensive efficiency after scoring 1.54 points per possession in a Round of 64 win over Queens.
Expect a heavy diet of pick-and-roll play from Purdue, with Braden Smith as the initiator. Smith is one of the best point guards in college basketball history. He just surpassed Bobby Hurley for the all-time college basketball assist lead in his last game, and he leads Purdue with 14.3 points and 9.0 dimes per game.
He's gotten real help from the short-rolling ability of Trey Kaufman-Renn of late. Kaufman-Renn scored 20 against Michigan in the Big Ten title game, and he followed it up with 26 against Queens.
The Boilermakers hit 38% from 3, but their shooting can disappear at times. Playing two true bigs who don't take jumpers can disrupt flow and spacing, but Purdue has made it work. I just wonder in a game where the opponent has bigs to match Purdue, if it has enough shooting to overcome what it'll lose on the boards.
Purdue grabs offensive rebounds at a 38% rate. That'll be much tougher against Miami.
On the defensive end, Purdue can struggle. It ranks 35th in defensive efficiency, but the Boilers rank outside the top-180 in 2-point and 3-point defensive percentage. Some of that is poor defense that can put the bigs in a bad position. Plus, opposing offenses can crack this defense by stretching the floor and shooting.
Miami (FL) Basketball
The Canes basically played a road game in the first round, as they beat Missouri in St. Louis. Jai Lucas led them to 26 wins and counting in his first season as head coach.
This Hurricanes team can throw a wrench in Purdue's plans with its athleticism and physical play. Those are the type of teams we've seen give the Boilermakers fits at times.
Shelton Henderson can be a real enforcer for Miami. He's a former five-star recruit who boasts a big 6-foot-6, 240-pound frame and plays the three. He shoots just 26% from 3, but Purdue doesn't have someone to defend him.
On the interior, Miami has a pair of stud bigs. The uber-athletic Ernest Udeh Jr. is largely a lob threat on offense, but he's a terrific defender and has a knack for rebounding, ranking 78th in offensive rebounding rate and 21st in defensive rebounding rate.
Malik Reneau transformed his game in Coral Gables. His big frame can hang with Kaufman-Renn, and he can shoot 3s now. Reneau has to show up if Miami wants to cover against Purdue.
The Canes love to score inside (56% on 2s), and they don't shoot 3s often.
I think the biggest advantage for Miami is rebounding. Against smaller teams, Purdue can dominate the boards, but the Canes are even bigger. The Boilers rank in the top 20 in offensive and defensive rebounding rate.
Miami (FL) vs Purdue Pick, Betting Analysis
I'm taking the points with the underdogs.
The toughness of this Miami team can really test the limits of Purdue.
Due to the quickness of Purdue's defense and tenacity of Tru Washington, Miami can blitz ball screens and recover on the short roll.
That could make Purdue play a different offensive style.
My Pick: Miami +7.5 (Play to +6)
