The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights will try to pull off a historic upset in the 2023 NCAA Tournament when they face top-seeded Purdue in an East Region first-round matchup Friday. The 16th-seeded Knights (17-15) defeated Texas Southern 84-61 in a First Four matchup Wednesday night. Purdue (29-5) is the nation's third-ranked team and won their its straight with a 67-65 victory against Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament final Saturday.

Tipoff is set for 6:50 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The Boilermakers are favored by 23 points in the latest Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Purdue odd, while the over/under for total points scored is 145.

Before making any Purdue vs. Fairleigh Dickinson picks or NCAA Tournament predictions, you need to check out the predictions from SportsLine's No. 1 college basketball expert, Larry Hartstein.

A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. He also has been SportsLine's most profitable college basketball expert. In his last 169 college basketball picks, he has gone 97-71-1, which translates to a $1,895 return for $100 bettors.

Hartstein knows 7-foot-4 All-American Zach Edey is a matchup nightmare for any team, and the Knights are one of the smallest in the nation. Edey averages 22.3 points (sixth in the nation) and 12.8 rebounds (second) and blocks 2.1 shots per game. The Knights have one of the nation's worst defenses, allowing 76 points per game (330th), while Purdue gives up 62.5 (22nd). Purdue also averages five more rebounds per game.         

Hartstein also has taken into account that Fairleigh Dickinson has a balanced offense and is playing with house money. The Knights are here because NEC champion Merrimack was ineligible to play as a transitioning Division I member. FDU averages 78.3 points (38th in Division I) and has a strong trio of scorers. Demetre Roberts (16 PPG), Grant Singleton (14.3) and Ansley Almonor (14.1) all have hit more than 60 3-pointers.

Now, Hartstein has broken down Friday's Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Purdue matchup. We can tell you that he's leaning Over the total, and he also has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. You ABSOLUTELY need to see his pick before locking in any 2023 NCAA Tournament picks of your own.

Who wins Purdue vs. Fairleigh Dickinson in Friday's first-round matchup? And what x-factor makes one side a must-back? ... Join SportsLine now to see who covers in Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Purdue, all from SportsLine's No. 1 college basketball expert who has returned $1,895 on his last 169 college basketball picks