<p>Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Nittany Lions and Fighting Illini. The game is starting at 9:00 ET on BTN, and it's hosted by the Fighting Illini at State Farm Center in Champaign, IL. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this Big Ten conference game currently have Illinois as the -9.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 163.5 points.</p><h3>PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS VS ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Penn State Nittany Lions +9.5</p><p>This game will be played at State Farm Center at 9:00 ET on Wednesday, January 8th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Fighting Illini.</li><li>Even though we have Illinois winning straight-up, we like Penn State at +9.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 163.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the Nittany Lions Find a Way to Win in Champaign?</h3><p>Penn State’s season record dropped to 12-3 after a 77-71 loss to Indiana on Sunday. The Nittany Lions, who were -7.5 favorites at home, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread.</p> <p>After a 29-29 tie at halftime, Penn State allowed 48 points in the 2nd half while scoring 42. The total points for the game were 148, falling short of the 157.5 over/under line.</p><p>In their last game, Penn State's offense put up 71 points, shooting 46% from the field. Their two-point shooting was impressive, hitting 61.9% (26/42), but they struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 3 of 21 attempts (14.3%).</p> <p>Oumar Ballo led the way with 25 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 60% from the field. Nick Kern Jr. added 21 points, hitting 61.5% of his shots, while Mackenzie Mgbako contributed 20 points, going 4/8 from three-point range.</p><p>Despite Penn State's defensive struggles, they managed to limit their opponent's three-point shooting, holding them to just 3/21 from beyond the arc. However, the Nittany Lions couldn't contain the inside game, as their opponent shot 61% on two-point attempts, contributing to 77 points overall.</p> <p>Penn State also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 10 free throws. The Nittany Lions gave up 11 offensive rebounds, adding to their defensive challenges in this game.</p><h3>Will Illinois Win at Home?</h3><p>Illinois improved to 11-3 on the season with an 81-77 road win over Washington on Sunday, January 5th. The Illini entered the game as 7-point favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 158, surpassing the over/under line of 154.5.</p> <p>Illinois led 42-31 at halftime but allowed Washington to score 46 points in the 2nd half, while they managed 39 points themselves.</p><p>Illinois put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 47% from the field. They were dominant inside, hitting 65% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, going just 5/26 (19.2%).</p> <p>DJ Davis led the way with 31 points, hitting 7 threes at a 50% clip. Kasparas Jakucionis added 18 points and 6 assists, while Tre White contributed 17 points and 7 rebounds.</p><p>Illinois gave up 77 points on 43% shooting from the field in their last game. They allowed 28 field goals on 65 attempts.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Illinois allowed 10 threes on 26 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 78% from the free-throw line, making 11 of 14.</p>

Penn State Nittany Lions vs Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/8/25

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Penn State Nittany Lions vs Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/8/25

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