The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars and the No. 4 seed Purdue Boilermakers link up in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday. Houston is red-hot, winning 15 consecutive games. In the second round, the Cougars outmatched Gonzaga, 81-76. Purdue has won both tournament games by double digits thus far. On March 22, the Boilermakers took down McNeese, 76-62. The winner advances to play Tennessee vs. Kentucky in the Elite Eight.
Tipoff from the Lucas Oil Stadium is at 10:09 p.m. ET. The latest Purdue vs. Houston odds via SportsLine consensus list the Cougars as 8.5-point favorites, while the over/under for total points scored is 131.5. Before making any Houston vs. Purdue picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the Sweet 16 round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on a 228-168 roll (+1815) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. This model has also produced brackets that have beaten over 91% of CBS Sports entries in four of the last six tournaments and has nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds. Anyone following could have seen huge returns.
Now, the model has dialed in on Purdue vs. Houston and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Purdue vs. Houston:
- Purdue vs. Houston spread: Cougars -8.5
- Purdue vs. Houston over/under: 131.5 points
- Purdue vs. Houston money line: Cougars -417, Boilermakers +324
- Purdue vs. Houston picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Purdue can cover
The Boilermakers have gone 14-9 against the spread after a win this season. Junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn is a consistent threat in the lane. Kaufman-Renn leads the team in points (20.3) and rebounds (6.5) per game while shooting 59% from the field. The Indiana native has finished with 20-plus points in five straight games. In the second-round win over McNeese, Kaufman-Renn had 22 points and 15 boards.
Junior guard Braden Smith is a reliable floor general who can create his own shot. Smith ranked second in the country in assists (8.5), to go along with 16 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. The Indiana native had 20 points, three rebounds, six assists, and two steals in the first-round win over High Point. See which side to pick at SportsLine.
Why Houston can cover
The Cougars are 11-6-1 against the spread with the same amount of rest as their opponent. Senior guard L.J. Cryer is a sound shot creator with a smooth jumper on the perimeter. Cryer averages 15.6 points per game and shoots 42.8% from beyond the arc. The Texas native has scored 20-plus points in five of his past eight games. In his last outing, Cryer had 30 points, three assists, and six 3-pointers.
Junior guard Emanuel Sharp is another floor spacer who excels off the ball. Sharp averages 12.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, while making 42% from 3-point land. The Florida native has scored 12-plus points in four of his last five games. On March 15 against Arizona, Sharp totaled 17 points and three boards. See which side to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Purdue vs. Houston picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over the total, predicting that the teams will combine for 144 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations. See which side to back at SportsLine.
So who wins Purdue vs. Houston, and which side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up nearly $1,900 on top-rated spread picks since 2023, and find out.