<p>The Illinois Fighting Illini, ranked #20, will play against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday, January 3, 2026. The game will take place at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, PA. Both teams belong to the Big Ten Conference, making this a conference game.</p> <p>Illinois holds a record of 10-3 for the season. They have a spread of -16.5, and their moneyline is set at -2300, indicating they are the favorite. On the other side, Penn State has a 9-4 record. They have a spread of +16.5 and a moneyline of +1103, positioning them as the underdog. The game will air on BTN, with an over/under set at 157.5.</p> <h2>Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions Game Day Info</h2> <ul><li>Sport: College Basketball</li><li>Teams: #20 Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions</li><li>Venue: Bryce Jordan Center, University Park PA</li><li>Date: Saturday, January 3, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET</li><li>Betting Odds: Illinois Spread: -16.5 (-112), Penn State Spread: +16.5 (-111), Illinois MoneyLine: -2300, Penn State MoneyLine: +1103, Over/Under: 157.5</li></ul> <h2>Illinois Fighting Illini Team Preview</h2> <p>The Illinois Fighting Illini have had a strong season with a 10-3 record. They rank 20th in the AP poll and play in the Big Ten conference. On the road, they have a 3-1 record, showing they can perform well away from home.</p> <p>Keaton Wagler is a standout player for Illinois. He averages 15.3 points per game and has a field goal percentage of 46.0%. His performance is crucial, especially in recent games where he scored 22 points against Missouri.</p> <p>Illinois has been effective on offense, averaging 88.2 points per game. They have a strong shooting percentage, making 48.4% of their field goals. Their defense can improve, as they average 3.7 steals per game and 5.5 blocks per game.</p> <h2>Penn State Nittany Lions Team Preview</h2> <p>The Penn State Nittany Lions come into this game with a solid home record of 8-2. They recently secured a significant win against North Carolina Central with a 90-67 score. In that game, Kayden Mingo led the team with 19 points, showing efficiency by making 66.7% of his shots.</p> <p>Despite their strong home performance, the Nittany Lions have faced challenges on the road. They lost to the Pittsburgh Panthers by 34 points, scoring only 46. Freddie Dilione V stood out in that game, contributing 23 points and shooting 58.8% from the field.</p> <p>On the season, Penn State averages 79.1 points per game, ranking them 163rd nationally. Their field goal percentage stands at 48.8%, placing them 58th. While they have struggled with three-point shooting, hitting only 35.2% of attempts, they maintain a strong record when playing as favorites.</p> <h2>BTB Betting Pick</h2> <p>For the spread pick, Illinois is favored by -16.5 points. With Illinois scoring 88.2 points per game and Penn State at 79.1, Illinois has a strong offensive edge. Considering their higher scoring and rebounding stats, Illinois is likely to cover the -16.5 spread.</p> <p>Regarding the over/under, the line is set at 157.5. Combining Illinois's 88.2 points per game with Penn State's 79.1, the projected total is 167.3 points. This suggests the game will go over 157.5, given both teams' offensive capabilities.</p>

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