The East is the lone region in the 2022 NCAA Tournament without a top seed in the Sweet 16. East play tips off Friday from Philadelphia with No. 15 Saint Peter’s, the Cinderella of the Big Dance, against No. 3 Purdue. The winner faces either No. 8 North Carolina or No. 4 UCLA in the Elite Eight.

Before all else, Nitrobetting takes a peek at important game details that help you lock in on the best picks. Below, you can find event information, team and player stats, and the latest College Basketball odds. We also have timely betting trends and predictions at your disposal.

Saint Peter’s vs. Purdue 2022 March Madness Sweet 16 Game Information

That March Emotion. #BoilerUp x #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/OkVhbxz1h1

— Purdue Mens Basketball (@BoilerBall) March 23, 2022

• When: Friday, March 25, 2022, 7:09 PM ET
• Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• TV: CBS
• Radio: WSPR Radio (Saint Peter’s) / WAZY 96.5 FM (Purdue)
• Live Stream: March Madness Live
• NCAAB Betting Odds: Saint Peter’s (+12.5) / Purdue (-12.5)

READ MORE: North Carolina vs UCLA NCAAB Odds and Preview – March 25th, 2022

Why Bet on the Saint Peter’s Peacocks?

Saint Peter’s is the third all-time No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16 and the previous two lost in this round. The Peacocks (21-11) shocked No. 2 Kentucky in Round 1 and then upset No. 7 Murray State 70-60 in Round 2. The Racers had won 21 straight games.

The Peacocks got a team-high 17 points from KC Ndefo and another clutch shooting night from Doug Edert who finished with 13. SPU now has the nation’s longest winning streak at nine straight games. The win streak is the longest for the Peacocks since winning nine straight in the 1994-95 season, one of just three other trips to the NCAA Tournament in program history.

During the winning streak, the Peacocks have boasted America’s top defense inside the 3-point line, with a 35.8% clip allowed. Kentucky (47.8% inside the arc) and Murray State (35.7%).

Ndefo, the three-time reigning MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, recorded 10 rebounds vs. Murray State to go along with his 17 points to record his seventh career double-double while also adding six blocks to become the first player in program history to reach 300 career blocks. Ndefo now has 304 in his collegiate career, the second-most among active players in the NCAA.

As it has all season, the bench for SPU was tremendous with 23 total points compared to just three for the Racers. Nine different players scored, marking the 26th straight game with at least eight different scorers. SPU is now 5-0 in neutral site games this season and 7-0 in the month of March. The Peacocks are the first team in the history of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to advance to the Sweet 16.

Saint Peter’s has two of the top free throw shooters in the MAAC in Doug Edert and Daryl Banks III. Edert is the MAAC leader shooting 90.1 percent from the stripe this season while Banks is fourth shooting 85.7 percent from the line. As a team, SPU is ranked first in the MAAC shooting 35.9 percent from 3-point range as well.

Should Saint Peter’s lose this game, it’s likely the last as head coach for Shaheen Holloway, who is expected to take over at Seton Hall – where he once was a star player.

Why Bet on the Purdue Boilermakers?

Purdue (29-7) beat No. 14 Yale 78-56 in Round 1 and No. 6 Texas 81-71 in Round 2. Jaden Ivey scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half and added three rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot. Since the 1992-93 season, Ivey is one of eight underclassmen (freshman or sophomore) with 600 points, 150 rebounds, 100 assists, 30 steals and 20 blocks in a season. He is one of four Big Ten players to do so in the last 30 years (Frank Kaminsky, Draymond Green, Evan Turner), and the only Purdue player to do so in school history. Ivey moved to 19th place on the school’s single-season scoring list (615 points).

Trevion Williams had 22 points, seven rebounds and two assists in the win. Williams now has 1,394 career points and 897 career rebounds. He needs six points and three rebounds to become the first player in school history with 1,400 points, 900 rebounds and 200 assists. Zach Edey recorded his 11th double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Matt Painter will be making his sixth Sweet 16 appearance, the 11th most for an active head coach. The Boilermakers will be making their fourth Sweet 16 appearance in the last five tournaments. Only Michigan and Gonzaga have made all five Sweet 16s in that span (since 2017).

Purdue owns a 14-7 record against the NCAA Tournament field, the most victories of any team in the field. Purdue is one of five teams nationally whose only losses this year were to NCAA Tournament teams (Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee, Villanova).

Purdue needs one more win for 30, which would tie the school record for victories (2017-18 season). The Boilers are 26-0 in games they score 70 or more points. In games held under 70 points, Purdue is 3-7. Purdue is 13-0 all-time against the current members of the MAAC, including 8-0 under Painter.

Saint Peter’s vs. Purdue Betting Trends

• Peacocks are 14-3-1 ATS in their last 18 games following a straight up win.
• Peacocks are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 neutral site games.
• Peacocks are 20-6-1 ATS in their last 27 games overall.
• Boilermakers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite.
• Boilermakers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 NCAA Tournament games.
• Boilermakers are 2-6-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Saint Peter’s vs. Purdue Expert Betting Predictions

Purdue 78, Saint Peter’s 68

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more NCAAB game previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest Basketball betting odds on the sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.