Penn State Nittany Lions vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/10/24

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Nittany Lions versus the Scarlet Knights? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on PEAC. The game will be played at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, NJ. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 157.5 points, and Rutgers is favored by -1 to win at home against Penn State.

PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS VS RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Rutgers Scarlet Knights -1

This game will be played at Jersey Mike’s Arena at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, December 10th.

WHY BET THE RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Scarlet Knights.
• Not only will Rutgers pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 157.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.

Will Penn State Make it Happen on the Road?

Penn State improved to 8-1 on the season with an 81-70 win over Purdue on Thursday. The Nittany Lions, who were -2 favorites, covered the spread in the victory. The total points for the game reached 151, just over the O/U line of 149.5.

Penn State took control early, leading 40-24 at halftime. They scored 41 points in the 2nd half but allowed Purdue to put up 46 points, making the final score closer than the first half suggested.

Penn State’s offense put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 48.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.3%. They connected on 38.9% of their three-point attempts, going 7-for-18 from deep, and were impressive at the free-throw line, hitting 28-of-32 for 87.5%.

Ace Baldwin Jr. led the team with 17 points and 6 assists, while Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer added 15 points each. Freddie Dilione contributed 14 points, hitting 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and Nick Kern Jr. chipped in 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Even with Penn State allowing 70 points, their defense struggled to contain the opposition, who shot 48% from the field, including 55% from two-point range. The Nittany Lions also gave up 7 threes on 18 attempts, a 38% shooting clip.

Fouls were an issue for Penn State, as they sent the other team to the line 32 times, where they converted 28 free throws, an 87% rate. The Nittany Lions also allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Is A Home Victory Likely for Favored Rutgers?

Rutgers fell to 5-4 on the season after an 80-66 road loss to Ohio State on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights entered the game as +5.5 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 146, falling short of the 154.5 O/U line.

Trailing 39-31 at halftime, Rutgers couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 35 points while allowing 41. The Scarlet Knights will look to bounce back as they continue their season.

In their latest game, Rutgers put up 66 points, shooting 42.1% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 49.1%, and they excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 91.7% of their attempts.

Devin Royal and Bruce Thornton each scored 22 points, with Royal shooting 75% and Thornton hitting 61.5% of his shots. Dylan Harper added 20 points, connecting on 3 of 7 from deep.

Despite Rutgers giving up 80 points, their defense struggled to contain their opponent, who shot 55% from the field, making 32 of 58 attempts. Inside the arc, the Scarlet Knights allowed a 65% shooting rate, with their opponent hitting 26 of 40 two-point shots.

From three-point range, Rutgers’ defense held their opponent to 33% shooting, with 6 made threes on 18 attempts. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 13 times, where they converted 10 free throws, shooting 76%. Additionally, Rutgers gave up 10 offensive rebounds.