March Madness is a sports betting event, unlike any other on the annual calendar, and the eve of a another college basketball season is the perfect time to start looking at NCAA BB futures prices. Ranked #7 in both preseason polls, this Purdue basketball team might be a safe place for the smart money.
There should be a lot of action on the Boilers, and deservedly so, when one looks at their preseason prospectus, overall expectations and just the general odds.
And only nine teams in the entire country have a better percentage than that. In terms of national title odds, Purdue basketball has the fourth shortest, according to Draft Kings, at 13/1. Only Gonzaga, Michigan and Villanova are better.
Purdue brings back a very deep, talented and experienced squad, which has a lot of good solid role players. However, it’s their extremely stellar inside-outside combination of Jaden Ivey and Trevion Williams, both of which have been named to the preseason All-Big Ten Team that really makes them go.
If you have a forward and guard combination, at this elite level of quality, well chances are you’ll go deep in March
Ivey is a bonafide mid to early lottery NBA Draft prospect, a 6’4″ soph from South Bend who had an amazing rookie campaign, as he was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team after he averaged 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
He really raised his game up in the final six contests a year ago, Ivey averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 37-of-79 (.468) from the field in that span.
Williams, a 6′ 10″ senior from Chicago, was one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (nation’s top center) after averaging 15.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season. With 967 career points, 630 rebounds and 126 assists, he is one of just three active players with at least 950 points, 625 rebounds and 125 assists.
The Boilermakers will open their season with an exhibition game Nov. 4, against Indianapolis. The regular-season opener comes five days later against Bellarmine in Mackey Arena.
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Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.