Purdue Boilermakers vs Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/5/24

Planning on watching today’s Boilermakers and Nittany Lions game? Catch the action at Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, PA, as the Nittany Lions hosts this showdown at 6:30 ET on FS1. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 149.5 points, and Penn State is favored by -2 to win at home against Purdue.

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS VS PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Penn State Nittany Lions -2

This game will be played at Bryce Jordan Center at 6:30 ET on Thursday, December 5th.

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 -2.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 149.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.

Will the Boilermakers Find a Way to Win on the Road?

Purdue improved to 7-1 on the season with an 80-78 win over Ole Miss on Friday. The Boilermakers, who were -3 favorites, didn’t cover the spread, but they got the win at home. The game’s total points reached 158, surpassing the O/U line of 145.

Purdue led 42-34 at halftime but allowed 44 points in the 2nd half while scoring 38. They’ll need to tighten up defensively moving forward.

Purdue’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their latest game, shooting 54.2% from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc, with an effective field goal percentage of 64.6%. They hit 10 threes and went 18-for-26 from the free-throw line, while also grabbing 11 offensive rebounds and dishing out 19 assists.

Trey Kaufman-Renn led the way with 25 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field. Myles Colvin added 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, hitting 3-of-5 from deep, and Braden Smith contributed 18 points and 11 assists, connecting on 4-of-6 threes.

Purdue’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 78 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 54% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 16 two-point baskets on 26 attempts, a 61% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Purdue’s defense gave up 10 threes on 22 attempts, with the opponent shooting 45%. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 26 times, where they converted 18 free throws at a 69% rate. Purdue also allowed 11 offensive rebounds.

Is A Home Victory Likely for Favored Penn State?

Penn State improved to 7-1 on the season with an 87-64 home win over Buffalo on Sunday, December 1st. The Nittany Lions entered the game as heavy favorites, but they didn’t cover the -29 spread. The game’s total points of 151 fell short of the O/U line of 160.

Penn State led 38-28 at halftime and pulled away in the 2nd half, scoring 49 points while allowing 36.

Penn State’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, scoring 87 points on 56.5% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 64.5%, with the team hitting 63.4% of their two-point attempts and 42.9% from beyond the arc.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser led the way with 27 points on 12-of-16 shooting, while Ryan Sabol added 19 points, hitting 5 threes. The Nittany Lions also dished out 23 assists in the win.

Even with Penn State’s defense giving up 64 points, they struggled to contain the opposition, allowing them to shoot 56% from the field. The Nittany Lions couldn’t stop the two-point shots, with the other team hitting 63% of their attempts, going 26/41.

From beyond the arc, Penn State’s defense allowed 9 threes on 21 attempts, a 42% success rate. They sent the other team to the line 13 times, where they made 8 free throws, shooting 61%. Penn State also gave up 9 offensive rebounds.