Football is done, and attention has now shifted to college basketball. Thursday is high in quantity but light in ranked teams on the schedule. There are still several exciting games and some fun player props to consider.
SportsGrid’s favorite player prop picks for Thursday’s college basketball action are here.
7:00 p.m. ET – Rutgers at Purdue
Where to Watch: FS1 | Location: Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, IN
The Purdue Boilermakers return to Mackey Arena after a shocking road loss to Ohio State. They will host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a game the SportsGrid model projects a nearly 20-point win and a comfortable cover. The game isn’t the only thing you can bet on, as SportsGrid’s model also offers projections on player props.
The two the model feels strongest about are a pair of UNDER bets for Purdue stars Braden Smith and Zach Edey.
Point guard Smith averages 12.8 points per game, along with 7.2 assists. After all, tossing it down low to 7’4″ Edey has its perks. Rutgers plays at a plodding pace and has the guards to keep Smith from getting into the paint consistently. The model projects Smith to score only 11 in this game, making the UNDER the wise move.
The other recommendation is taking Zach Edey under the mammoth number of 13.5 rebounds. Edey averages 11.9 boards per contest, and Rutgers has big-bodied Cliff Omoruyi to throw at him. In addition, Rutgers’ pace will limit the overall possessions and number of shots available to be rebounded. The number is enormous, and the model projects him to reach his average but not exceed it, making the UNDER the intelligent play.
SportsGrid’s Best Bets: Braden Smith – UNDER 12.5 points, Zach Edey – UNDER 13.5 rebounds | SportsGrid Projections: 4 stars
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