Dean Etheridge
Friday gives us our first chance to take a look at number 1 seeds, the Purdue Boilermakers, when they face FDU in the 1st Round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The Boilermakers are one of the March Madness betting favorites, so this is their chance to prove they deserve their elite status. Here we look ahead to their match in our latest NCAAB betting picks.
- What; NCAA Tournament Men’s Basketball March Madness – 1st Round
- Who; Purdue Boilermakers vs Fairleigh Dickinson Knights
- Where; Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
- When; Friday, March 17th, 2023
- Tip Off; 5.50 pm ET
Betting to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament
Purdue is one of the teams expected to go a long way in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The Selection Committee awarded them a number 1 seeding, and the top sportsbooks for college basketball betting have also made them one of their betting favorites.
In the latest betting to win the championship, the top rated March Madness betting sites make Purdue +1000. This puts them on the same odds as UCLA, but behind the favorites, Houston (+550), and Alabama (+600).
Nevertheless, joint third favorites means a lot of punters expect Purdue to go deep into this competition. And these punters are clearly prepared to put their collective money where their mouths are.
More betting to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament can be found below. These odds have been taken from some of the best college betting sites, which you can read about on our top US sportsbooks reviews page. Here you will find all the information you need to know about these betting sites, and you can also bag yourself a nice welcome bonus to bet on March Madness with while you are there!
| NCAAB Tournament Winner Betting 2023 |  |  |  |
| Houston | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Alabama | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Purdue | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Texas | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| UCLA | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Kansas | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Gonzaga | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Arizona | +1400 | +1500 | +1600 |
| Connecticut | +1600 | +1600 | +1700 |
| Marquette | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Duke | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Baylor | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Tennessee | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
Purdue vs FDU Betting
The top college basketball betting sites have – as expected – priced this up as a mismatch. On the moneyline, Purdue is just -10000 to win. With FDU at +1800.
The expected one-sided nature of this match is further enhanced by the spread, where FDU are receiving a 23 points start. With the huge margin in their favor, FDU is -110 on the handicap spread line, while the Boilermakers are also -110 (starting from 23 points back).
Finally, the total points spread mark is set at 145. Over 145 is priced up at -110, and that’s the same odds as under 145.
Remarkable turnaround for FDU
The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights have come a long way from the disastrous 2021/22 season that saw them win just four matches. The job done by Tobin Anderson can’t be underestimated. He had both the shortest roster in Division 1, and also one of the youngest. Yet, here they are just 12 months later in the 1st Round of the NCAA Tournament, about to take on one of the number 1 seeds.
FDU made light work of their First Four match against the Texas Southern Tigers. The Knights raced into a 45-29 lead at the halfway stage. And although the second period was tighter (39-32), the Tigers couldn’t get back into the match, eventually going down tamely by a scoreline of 84-61.
The Knights are movin' on! ⚔️ @FDUKnightsMBB dominates against Texas Southern pic.twitter.com/NgikxL2KR1
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 16, 2023
This sets the Knights up on a date with no other than the Boilermakers. The Boilermakers have just topped the Big Ten with a 15-5 record. Maybe not the best record in the end. But it was enough to hold off the challenges of Indiana and Northwestern.
Matt Painter’s side endured three road defeats in February, as their form seemed to be deserting them just at the wrong time. They have recently put that right, with wins in their last five matches. The winning streak includes three wins in the Big Ten Tournament over Rutgers (70-65), Ohio State (80-66), and Penn State (67-65).
Our Pick
Odds of -10000 on a win for Purdue tells us all we really need to know about which way this match is going to go. As great an achievement as it is for FDU to get to this stage of March Madness, it would surely be one of the biggest shocks in sport if they were to beat the Boilermakers. So let’s move on from that, as it’s not going to happen.
Can Purdue overturn a 23 points disadvantage to beat the spread? We think it is a tall task, but if you’ll pardon the ‘tall’ pun, size is the main reason why we think the Boilermakers can do it.
The Knights have the smallest roster in Division 1. They have Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton at 5”8 and 5”9, competing against the 7”4 giant that is Zach Edey. Okay, so not everybody is the size of Edey. But most are bigger than the likes of Roberts and Singleton.
Apart from the size advantage that the Boilermakers have, they are simply just the better side. So, when we take all this into consideration, it means picking Purdue to cover the spread has to be the pick.
