#11 Texas vs. #2 Purdue Picks and Predictions: Sweet 16
Written by: Nate Hornung
Last Update: Thu Mar 26, 2026, 11:37 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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Sean Miller has revamped the Texas Longhorns in his first season as head coach. They were once on the verge of missing the NCAA Tournament all together, but now they've won three games in six days last week to go from the First Four into the Sweet 16. However, this Cinderella will have their hands full as they face Matt Painter and the evil stepsisters of Purdue. Can the Longhorns keep their glass slippers on? Or will Braden Smith and company send them home early? Let's get into our favorite picks from our CBB experts and find out.
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Best Bet: Purdue -7.5 (-108) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
#11 Texas Longhorns vs. #2 Purdue Boilermakers NCAA Basketball Insights
Can Jordan Pope and the Longhorns find a fourth straight upset victory?
The Boilermakers have been rolling through the competition. Every since they lost to the Wisconsin Badgers at home to end their season, they've strung together six straight victories, covering four of those six spreads, including their last three in a row. A team I once had zero faith in, is starting to make me believe again. And on the other sideline, I just don't trust Sean Miller.
Texas was upset by Ole Miss in their first SEC Tournament game, but have now gone on to win three straight tournament games as outright underdogs, and they didn't just beat nobodies. The NC State Wolfpack were supposedly a Dark Horse candidate this year to sneak their way into title contention, BYU was a contender before Richie Saunder's injury, and Gonzaga is one of the most experienced teams in all of college hoops. Texas beat them all. Will they be able to pull off another miracle tonight in San Jose?
Matchup Information – Texas vs. Purdue – March 26
- Venue & Location: SAP Center (San Jose, CA)
- Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026
- Tip Off: 7:10 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: CBS
Texas vs. Purdue Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of March 26, 2026 at 9:43 a.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- Texas +7.5 (-112)
- Purdue -7.5 (-108)
Moneyline
- Texas +265
- Purdue -345
Total
- Over 147.5 (-110)
- Under 147.5 (-110)
#11 Texas vs. #2 Purdue NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Braden Smith is now the all time assists leader in Division 1 basketball. Can he lead his team to the Elite Eight?
Texas vs. Purdue Prediction: Purdue Wins and Covers, Over 147.5
Best Bet: Purdue -7.5 (-108) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
I will not be backing Texas in this spot. I will admit, Purdue is playing great basketball right now, and although I had them losing this game to Gonzaga, they should get by the Longhorns. Now, Texas is going to be able to compete on the boards, but they won't be able to force any turnovers, and I worry about their offensive efficiency if this turns into a slower game. They don't shoot too often from three, and when they do, they don't shoot very well.
A large majority of their offense comes from inside the arc, and Purdue is excellent at defending the rim and keeping teams off the free throw line. Purdue has more scoring options, a deeper bench, and rank fourth in the country in assist rate, while the Longhorns are bottom 20 in the nation in that category.
That tells me that the Boilermakers do a better job of running their offense and finding teammates even when in trouble, which could be the deciding factor in this game.
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Check Out the Other March Madness Content from Betting News
For college basketball bettors, March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year. And at Betting News, we have you covered for this festively fun season with expert picks throughout the tournament from Nate Hornung and Eddie Griffin, consensus picks for every March Madness game from the First Four to the Final Four, a rundown of the best March Madness betting sites, and more.
Also, through our streams and social media channels, you can get even more insight from Nate and other members of the Betting News team, as well as offer your own thoughts and tips for the tournament.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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