The 22nd-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (10-4, 2-1 Big 10) and the Penn State Nittany Lions (7-7, 0-3 Big 10) battle at Bryce Jordan Center. The Badgers will attempt to continue their five-game winning streak. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 6, 2019.
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions ATS Odds
Both teams were victorious in their last game. The Nittany Lions beat the North Florida Ospreys 87-72, while the Badgers dismantled the Coppin State Eagles 85-63.
Wisconsin played a nearly flawless game. They had a turnover percentage of 6.5 and a free throw rate of 0.377. Coppin State recorded marks of 17.5 and 0.169, respectively, for those same stats. Meanwhile, Penn State’s 0.439 free throw rate was their largest advantage over North Florida, who had a rate of 0.203. Penn State rallied around Lamar Stevens, who recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds. Ethan Happ led the way for Wisconsin with 10 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds to register his zeroth triple-double of the year.
The Badgers won the only game between these two teams last year, 64-63. Wisconsin had a much better effective field goal percentage (0.490 vs. 0.375). Penn State, on the other hand, did a fantastic job of converting from the charity stripe (21-25; 84.0 percent). This is the first time these teams will battle this year.
The Badgers’ Happ has been playing at a high level over his last five games, averaging 0 points per game. Meanwhile, Stevens has averaged 0 points during that same time frame for the Nittany Lions.
The ineffective offense of Penn State will clash against the elite defense of Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions currently rank 271st in offensive efficiency, while the Badgers are 56th in defensive efficiency. The Badgers should have the advantage on that end of the court. Additionally, the Badgers rank 319th in offensive rebounding percentage (23.6 percent), while the Nittany Lions rank 59th in defensive rebounding percentage (75.2 percent).
Wisconsin Badgers at Penn State Nittany Lions ATS Pick
Basketball Pick: SU Winner – Penn State, ATS Winner – Wisconsin, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- Penn State ranks 34th in steals per game (8.2) while Wisconsin ranks 154th (5.6).
- The Badgers rank 21st in assists allowed per game (10.3) while the Nittany Lions rank 32nd (10.7).
- The Nittany Lions allow the 15th-fewest three pointers per game (18.2) while the Badgers rank 56th (20.3).
- Wisconsin averages 3.9 blocks per game, which ranks 62nd in the NCAA. Penn State ranks 80th in blocks allowed per game (3.4).
Bettings Trends:
- The Badgers’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 20.8, up from 11.8 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Nittany Lions have scored an average of 73.2 points per game (3.9 above their season average) and allowed an average of 64.6 points per game (1.8 below their season average).
