Purdue Fort Wayne vs Duquesne Predictions, Picks and Odds

Last December, Purdue Fort Wayne walked into Notre Dame as an underdog and walked out with a win. Surprises like that have become part of the Mastodons’ identity under longtime head coach Jon Coffman, and this season he has a Horizon MVP candidate back in the backcourt.

Duquesne, meanwhile, has a brand-new roster built around one All-A-10 guard whose eligibility was only restored this summer. With the Iron Dukes laying double digits, this Purdue Fort Wayne vs Duquesne opener looks like a spot where the underdog deserves serious respect. Before you finalize your college basketball picks, here is the full breakdown of the odds, line movement, matchups, and best bets.

Purdue Fort Wayne vs Duquesne Quick Picks and Prediction

Spread Pick: IPFW +10.5 (-118)
Total Pick: Under 153.5 (-110)
Projected Final Score: Duquesne 76, IPFW 70

Odds and Line Movement for Purdue Fort Wayne vs Duquesne

Duquesne opened as a 10.5-point favorite, and the line has bounced between 9.5 and 10.5 several times before settling back at 10.5, with Purdue Fort Wayne drawing between 81% and 99% of the money. The total opened at 153.5, dipped to 152.5, and has returned to 153.5. Track the latest numbers with our live odds.

Opening Odds

Team	Spread	Total
IPFW	+10.5 (-108)	Over 153.5 (-105)
Duquesne	-10.5 (-112)	Under 153.5 (-115)

Current Odds

Team	Spread	Total
IPFW	+10.5 (-118)	Over 153.5 (-110)
Duquesne	-10.5 (-102)	Under 153.5 (-110)

Line Movement – Spread

Date	IPFW	Duquesne	Public ($, #)
11/03	+10.5 (-118)	-10.5 (-102)	PFW 81%, DUQ 59%
11/03	+9.5 (-102)	-9.5 (-118)	PFW 82%, DUQ 55%
11/03	+10.5 (-118)	-10.5 (-102)	PFW 82%, DUQ 58%
11/02	+9.5 (-105)	-9.5 (-115)	PFW 88%, DUQ 57%
11/02	+10.5 (-112)	-10.5 (-108)	PFW 99%, DUQ 56%
11/02	+10.5 (-108)	-10.5 (-112)	—

Line Movement – Total

Date	Over	Under	Public ($, #)
11/02	153.5 (-110)	153.5 (-110)	OV 100%, OV 70%
11/02	152.5 (-115)	152.5 (-105)	OV 100%, OV 74%
11/02	152.5 (-108)	152.5 (-112)	UN 95%, UN 56%
11/02	153.5 (-105)	153.5 (-115)	—

Key Matchups and Handicap: Purdue Fort Wayne vs Duquesne

This opener pits a program with proven continuity against one that is essentially starting over. Purdue Fort Wayne has a long track record of competitive basketball under Jon Coffman and returns its best player, while Duquesne is building a new team around a single established star. Early in the season, that difference can be the key to beating a double-digit spread.

Purdue Fort Wayne Thrives as a Road Underdog

There has been enough evidence from Purdue Fort Wayne and Coffman not to underestimate the Mastodons. They usually feature solid backcourt play and are used to going on the road as underdogs in pre-Horizon action, occasionally pulling off a surprise, such as last December’s win at Notre Dame. Word from Fort Wayne is that Coffman is cooking up another potential contender this season.

Purdue Fort Wayne Star DeAndre Craig Jr. Returns

A big reason for that optimism is star guard DeAndre Craig Jr., who resisted the temptations of the portal and returned to Purdue Fort Wayne. He is likely to be on the short list of Horizon MVP candidates after superb all-around play last season, averaging 14 points and 2.6 assists per game. Craig is the latest in an assembly line of star guards under Coffman, following all-league performers Jarred Godfrey, Jalen Jackson, Rasheed Bello, and Corey Hadnot II.

Purdue Fort Wayne Adds Size Up Front

Coffman also has more size than usual this season. Two new frontliners to watch are 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman Quentin Morgan and bullish 6-foot-6 Manhattan transfer power forward Anthony Isaac Jr. That added size should help IPFW hold its own on the glass and complement its typically strong guard play.

Duquesne Gets Tarence Guinyard Back

Head coach Dru Joyce III has basically a new team surrounding All-A-10 guard Tarence Guinyard, who averaged 16.6 points per game last season. Guinyard’s eligibility was restored over the summer, which means Joyce will not be entering the season without his top eight scorers from a year ago. Guinyard gives Duquesne a reliable go-to option, but he is surrounded by unfamiliar pieces.

Iron Dukes Still a Work in Progress

With several transfers now in the mix, this looks like a work in progress on the Bluff. The Iron Dukes may need time to develop chemistry, and it could be a while before laying double digits with them feels comfortable. IPFW’s historic competence makes Duquesne an even tougher sell at this price.

PFW vs DUQ Betting Trends

IPFW won at Notre Dame as an underdog last December.
IPFW has produced multiple all-league guards under Jon Coffman, including Jarred Godfrey, Jalen Jackson, Rasheed Bello, and Corey Hadnot II.
The spread has moved between Duquesne -9.5 and -10.5 multiple times and currently sits at -10.5.
IPFW has drawn between 81% and 99% of the spread money.
The total has moved from 153.5 to 152.5 and back to 153.5.
The over has drawn 100% of the money in the two most recent total snapshots.

IPFW vs DUQ Key Injuries and Notes

IPFW: Guard DeAndre Craig Jr. (14 ppg, 2.6 apg) returns as a likely Horizon MVP candidate.
IPFW: New frontcourt pieces include 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman Quentin Morgan and 6-foot-6 Manhattan transfer Anthony Isaac Jr.
Duquesne: All-A-10 guard Tarence Guinyard (16.6 ppg) had his eligibility restored over the summer.
Duquesne: Dru Joyce III has a largely new roster with several transfers.

IPFW vs Duquesne ATS and Total Picks

ATS Pick: Purdue Fort Wayne +10.5 (-118). IPFW brings back a potential conference MVP, has added size up front, and has a coach with a long track record of competitive road performances as an underdog. Duquesne has Guinyard but little else that is proven together. The spread money has been heavily on the Mastodons, and grabbing the full 10.5 is worth the extra juice compared to the 9.5 that has appeared at times.

Total Pick: Under 153.5 (-110). Duquesne’s new-look roster is likely to have stretches of disjointed offense as it learns to play together, and IPFW’s added size should help limit easy second chances. The public money has pushed toward the over, but an early-season game featuring one team still finding its rhythm leans toward a lower score than this number.

IPFW vs Duquesne Best Bets

Best Bet: IPFW +10.5 (-118)
Total Pick: Under 153.5 (-110)
Key Factor: IPFW’s continuity and guard play against Duquesne’s largely new roster
X-Factor: DeAndre Craig Jr. against Tarence Guinyard in the backcourt

Final Score Prediction for IPFW vs Duquesne

Duquesne has Tarence Guinyard and the home edge, but a roster still coming together is a tough bet to lay double digits with on opening night. Expect Purdue Fort Wayne’s backcourt, led by DeAndre Craig Jr., to keep the Mastodons within striking distance in a game that stays under the total.