Northwestern Wildcats vs Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/2/25

Planning on watching today’s Wildcats and Nittany Lions game? Catch the action at Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, PA, as the Nittany Lions hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on PEAC. The odds for this Big Ten conference game currently have Penn State as the -5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 144.5 points.

NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS VS PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Penn State Nittany Lions -5

This game will be played at Bryce Jordan Center at 7:00 ET on Thursday, January 2nd.

WHY BET THE PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Nittany Lions.
• Not only will Penn State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Will the Northwestern Defense Show Up on the Road?

Northwestern improved to 10-3 on the season with an 85-60 home win over Northeastern on Sunday. The Wildcats, who entered the game as 14-point favorites, covered the spread, and the total points of 145 went over the pre-game line of 137.5.

After leading just 35-33 at halftime, Northwestern dominated the second half, scoring 50 points while holding Northeastern to 27.

Northwestern’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 85 points on 53.6% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 60.7%, thanks in part to their 67.7% shooting on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, they hit 9 of 25 threes, shooting 36%, and they connected on 72.7% of their free throws, going 16 for 22 from the line.

Ty Berry led the way with 23 points, hitting 5 of 7 threes and shooting 8 for 10 overall. Brooks Barnhizer added 22 points and 10 rebounds, while LA Pratt contributed 18 points and 7 boards. Masai Troutman was also a key contributor, hitting 4 of 5 threes and finishing with 17 points.

Northwestern’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 60 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 53% from the field. The Wildcats had particular difficulty defending inside, as the other team connected on 67% of their two-point attempts, going 21/31.

From beyond the arc, Northwestern’s defense allowed 9 threes on 25 attempts, a 36% shooting rate. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 22 times, where they converted 16 free throws, hitting 72%. The Wildcats gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Do the Nittany Lions Have a Shot at a Home Win?

Penn State improved to 11-2 on the season with an 86-66 win over Penn on Sunday. The Nittany Lions were -26 favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread.

Leading 34-31 at halftime, Penn State pulled away by scoring 52 points in the 2nd half while allowing 35. The total points for the game were 152, just under the O/U line of 152.5.

Penn State put up 86 points in their last game, shooting 45.5% from the field. Their three-point shooting was a struggle, hitting just 4 of 18 attempts for 22.2%, but they excelled at the free-throw line, making 22 of 26 for 84.6%.

Michael Zanoni led the way with 27 points, connecting on 7 of 12 threes. Ace Baldwin contributed 23 points and 10 assists, while Yanic Konan Niederhauser added 19 points and 15 rebounds.

Despite giving up 66 points, Penn State’s defense held their opponent to just 4 made threes on 18 attempts, a 22% shooting performance from beyond the arc.

The Nittany Lions sent their opponent to the line 26 times, where they converted 22 free throws, shooting 84% from the stripe. Penn State also allowed 14 offensive rebounds.