The Purdue Boilermakers are set to play against the Arizona Wildcats in the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament Elite Eight. This game takes place at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 8:49 PM ET and will be broadcast on TBS.
Purdue enters the game as the 2 seed with an overall record of 27-8. They are ranked 8th in the AP poll and represent the Big Ten Conference. Arizona, the 1 seed, boasts a strong overall record of 32-2 and is ranked 2nd in the AP poll. They are part of the Big 12 Conference. Both teams aim to advance further in the tournament.
Purdue Boilermakers Team Preview
The Purdue Boilermakers have a strong offensive presence. They score 81.7 points per game, ranking them 66th. Their effective field goal percentage is 57.6, which is 13th best in the nation.
On defense, Purdue needs improvement with only 5.5 steals per game, placing them 355th. They average 2.8 blocks per game, ranking 416th. Their turnovers are low, with just 8.7 per game.
In the postseason, Purdue’s offense improves significantly. They score 87.3 points per game, which ranks 8th. Their field goal percentage is 55.2, making them 3rd in the postseason.
Arizona Wildcats Team Preview
The Arizona Wildcats are having a strong season. They hold an overall record of 32-2 and a conference record of 19-2 in the Big 12. Their impressive play has earned them the #2 spot in the AP rankings.
On offense, Arizona scores 86.1 points per game in the regular season. They have a high field goal percentage of 50.2 and make 19.1 free throws per game. Their postseason performance is even better with 93.0 points per game.
Defense is solid with Arizona averaging 7.8 steals per game. They also keep fouls low at 16.0 per game. With a strong postseason run, the Wildcats aim to go beyond the Sweet 16, where their journey ended last year.
Betting Prediction
Purdue has shown strong offensive numbers in the postseason. They score 87.3 points per game, ranking them 8th. Their effective field goal percentage is 62.6, which is 4th.
Arizona’s offensive stats are impressive, too. They score 93.0 points per game in the postseason, making them 3rd. Their effective field goal percentage is 57.5, ranked 12th.
The over/under for this game is set at 151.5. Both teams have high-scoring offenses. The over is a likely result given their scoring abilities.
- Pick: Over 151.5
