Download App
The Penn State Nittany Lions (14-11, 5-9 Big Ten) will try to snap a four-game losing stretch when hosting the Illinois Fighting Illini (17-7, 8-5 Big Ten) on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at Bryce Jordan Center. This matchup is at 7:00 PM ET on ESPNU.
Tuesday’s game between the Fighting Illini and the Nittany Lions features the Fighting Illini as 3.5-point favorites. A 140-point total has been set for the game.
Illinois vs. Penn State Odds
Point Spread for Illinois vs. Penn State
The spread for this matchup is set at 3.5 points, with bookmakers listing Illinois as the favorite.
Illinois vs. Penn State Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Illinois has -165 odds to pick up the win, while Penn State is listed at +141 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the over/under for the game is set at 140 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Tuesday, February 14, 2023
- Game Time: 7:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPNU
- Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
- Arena: Bryce Jordan Center
Illinois vs. Penn State Betting Trends
Illinois has 16 wins against the spread in 24 games this year. The Fighting Illini have won in 12, or 70.6%, of the 17 contests they have been named as odds-on favorites in this year. Illinois’ games this year have hit the over on 10 of 25 set point totals.
Penn State is 13-12-0 against the spread this season. The Nittany Lions are 1-8 in games they were listed as the moneyline underdog (winning 11.1% of those games). Penn State’s games this season have eclipsed the over/under 14 times in 25 opportunities (56%).
Illinois vs. Penn State Key Players to Watch
Illinois
Terrence Shannon Jr. paces his squad in both points (16.9) and assists (3.0) per contest, and also puts up 5.0 rebounds. Defensively, he posts 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocked shots. Coleman Hawkins paces his team in both rebounds (6.5) and assists (3.2) per contest, and also averages 9.7 points. Defensively, he posts 0.9 steals and 1.3 blocked shots. Matthew Mayer puts up 11.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, shooting 42.9% from the floor and 37.1% from beyond the arc with 2.0 made 3-pointers per game. Dain Dainja puts up 10.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists per contest. Defensively, he posts 0.8 steals and 1.4 blocked shots.
Penn State
Jalen Pickett tops the Nittany Lions in scoring (17.2 points per game), rebounding (7.6) and assists (6.9), making 50.9% from the field and 34.6% from 3-point range with 1.1 triples per contest. He also posts 1.0 steal and 0.4 blocked shots. Seth Lundy gives the Nittany Lions 14.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per contest. He also delivers 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocked shots. Andrew Funk gets the Nittany Lions 12.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest. He also delivers 0.6 steals and 0.1 blocked shots. Camren Wynter is posting 7.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, making 41.9% of his shots from the field.
What you need to know about the Illinois Fighting Illini
So far this season, four out of Illinois’ 13 Big Ten games have gone over the point total. Offensively, the Fighting Illini are putting up 74.9 points per game (108th-ranked in college basketball). They are allowing 63.9 points per contest at the other end of the court (38th-ranked). Illinois is top-25 this year in rebounding, ranking 15th-best in college basketball with 36.3 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, it ranks 85th with 29.4 rebounds allowed per contest.
The Fighting Illini are putting up 77.3 points per game this year in home games, which is 7.3 more points than they’re averaging when playing on the road (70.0). With 8.0 three-pointers per game, Illinois ranks 106th in college basketball. It sports a 31.5% shooting percentage from downtown, which ranks 309th in college basketball. With 5.7 treys conceded per game, the Fighting Illini rank 26th in college basketball. They are ceding a 32.1% shooting percentage from beyond the arc, which ranks 95th in college basketball.
The Fighting Illini are 9-1 against the spread and 8-2 overall in their last 10 contests. Four of Illinois’ last 10 games have hit the over. On offense, Illinois has had a tough time putting the ball in the basket over its last 10 games, scoring 72.3 points per contest over that span compared to the 74.9 it has racked up over the course of this season. Illinois’ points-allowed average over its last 10 games (63.3) is 0.6 fewer points per game than the team is allowing over the entire season (63.9).
What you need to know about the Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State’s conference games have hit the over nine out of 14 times this year. In 2022-23, the Nittany Lions are 158th in the country offensively (72.4 points scored per game) and 135th defensively (68.2 points allowed). With 29.9 rebounds per game and 32.8 rebounds conceded, Penn State is 287th and 288th in college basketball, respectively.
In 2022-23 the Nittany Lions are averaging 10.3 more points per game at home (76.9) than away (66.6). In 2022-23 Penn State is fourth-best in college basketball in 3-point makes (10.8 per game), and 12th-best in 3-point percentage (38.7%). The Nittany Lions are 233rd in the country in 3-pointers conceded (7.6 per game) and 245th in 3-point percentage defensively (34.7%).
The Nittany Lions have a 5-5 record against the spread while going 3-7 overall in their past 10 games. Penn State has gone over the total in seven of its last 10 outings. Penn State is putting up 67.7 points per game over its previous 10 games, which is 4.7 fewer points than its average for the season (72.4). The Nittany Lions have played worse defensively over their past 10 games, allowing 70.1 points per contest, 1.9 more points their than season average of 68.2.
Illinois vs. Penn State Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this matchup is Illinois, and we expect that Penn State will cover the spread (Illinois -3.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going under the posted total of 140 points.
How to bet Illinois vs. Penn State
You can bet on Illinois vs. Penn State at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
And if you wanted to check out how much you could win on a $10 bet if you parlayed today’s Illinois vs. Penn State picks, don’t forget to check out our free parlay calculator.
Not sure what a parlay is? Or even how to bet on college basketball? Check out our complete guide to sports betting.