Penn State at Illinois: 3/3/22 College Basketball Picks and Predictions

Illinois Fighting Illini (20-8) vs Penn State Nittany Lions (12-14)

Game Info: Thursday, March 3, 2022 at 7:00 pm (State Farm Center)

Betting Odds: Illinois Fighting Illini -12 -- Over/Under: 133.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

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The Penn State Nittany Lions and Illinois Fighting Illini face off on Thursday in a college basketball showdown at the State Farm Center. When these two teams faced off in January of 2021 it was Illinois that won 79-65. 

Penn State comes into this game with a 12-14 record and they have gone 14-12 against the spread. At times, Penn State has looked good this season but they are coming off their worst loss of the defense. The defense gave up 93 points to Nebraska and that led to the 23 point defeat. Penn State is averaging 65.3 points while their defense is giving up 65.7 points per game. Guard Jalen Pickett has been the top player for Penn State averaging 12.8 points while shooting 39.8 percent from the field and 30 percent from deep. 

On the other side of this matchup is the Illinois Fighting Illini who sit with a 20-8 record overall and they have gone 13-15 against the spread. In the last game against Michigan, the offense was elite scoring 93 points and that led to the eight point victory. Illinois is averaging 76.9 points while their defense is giving up 68 points per game. Kofi Cockburn has been the top player for Illinois this season averaging 21.5 points while shooting 60.1 percent from the field. There are four different players that are averaging at least 10.3 points per game. 

Illinois is 1-4 against the spread in their last five home games. Penn State is 1-4 against the spread in their last five road games. The over is 6-1 in Penn State’s last seven games following a double-digit loss at home. The under is 4-1 Penn State’s last five games overall. 

Penn State’s defense was awful in the last game, and they are going to struggle to defend in this game against Illinois. Look for the Fighting Illini to get close to 100 points, and Penn State is going to have no chance to keep this game close. Back Illinois against the spread. In terms of the total, Illinois is going to score enough points for the over to cash. 

Shane’s Pick Illinois -12

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The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.

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