Cal State Fullerton vs. Purdue odds: NCAA Tournament 2018 picks from expert who's 3-0 on Boilermakers games

Friday's 2018 NCAA Tournament schedule features a matchup in Detroit, Michigan, between 2-seed Purdue and 15-seed Cal State Fullerton at 12:40 p.m. ET. Purdue is favored by 20.5 points, unchanged from the open. The over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 145, down 1.5 from where it opened.

Before you make any kind of pick, you need to hear what SportsLine handicapper Mike Tierney has to say. The veteran sportswriter and SportsLine analyst has proven to have a keen sense for Big Ten clubs and is a perfect 3-0 picking the Boilermakers. He's the ideal insider to make this pick.

Tierney has used his strong analytical background to examine every matchup, every player and every trend for Purdue-Cal State Fullerton and locked in a strong against-the-spread pick. You can see it at SportsLine.

Tierney has taken into account Purdue's strong recent performances. The Boilermakers have won five of their last six games overall.

They've found success by leading a balanced attack with four players averaging 12 points or more. Plus, Purdue is loaded with players who have experienced the pressures of playing in March. Four of Purdue's five starters are in their fourth season playing together.

The Boilermakers are also one of the best-shooting teams in the country from downtown. They're second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (42.0) and topped 90 points seven times this season.

But just because Purdue's offense has been extremely dynamic doesn't mean they can cover a 20.5-point spread.

The Titans are on a 5-1 run against the spread and prepared for top-level NCAA Tournament competition by facing four power conference foes, two of which ended in close losses (Georgia, California).

Tierney has evaluated all of these circumstances and has locked in his against the spread pick. He knows there's a big x-factor that determines which side of the spread prevails.

So what side do you need to be all over in Friday's 2018 NCAA Tournament game between Purdue and Cal State Fullerton? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of Purdue-Cal State Fullerton you should back, and what x-factor determines the outcome, all from an expert who's nailed his last three Boilermakers picks.