The 12th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini will look to stay hot and win their eighth game in 10 tries when they battle the Penn State Nittany Lions in a key Big Ten matchup on Wednesday. The Fighting Illini (19-6, 10-4 Big Ten), second in the league standings, are 13-11 all-time in games played at University Park, but Penn State has a three-game winning streak in the overall series. The Nittany Lions (12-14, 6-9 Big Ten), who have lost five of eight, including three in a row, are coming off a 68-49 defeat at Nebraska on Saturday. Illinois is 4-4 on the road this season, while Penn State is 9-4 at home.
The game will tip off at 6:30 p.m. ET from Rec Hall. Illinois is averaging 83.1 points per game, while Penn State averages 74.8. The Fighting Illini are 7.5-point favorites in the latest Illinois vs. Penn State odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 156. Before making any Penn State vs. Illinois picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 16 of the 2023-24 season on a 136-89 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $2,500 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 25-13 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Illinois vs. Penn State and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Penn State vs. Illinois:
- Illinois vs. Penn State spread: Illinois -7.5
- Illinois vs. Penn State over/under: 156 points
- Illinois vs. Penn State money line: Illinois -345, Penn State +268
- ILL: The Fighting Illini have hit the game total over in 21 of their last 32 games (+8.90 units)
- PSU: The Nittany Lions have won 17 of their last 32 games (+7.90 units on ML)
- Illinois vs. Penn State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Illinois can cover
Senior forward Coleman Hawkins has been on fire of late, reaching double-digit scoring in each of his last four games. In Saturday's win at Maryland, he poured in 14 points, while grabbing seven rebounds. He had 17 points, five assists and five rebounds in a 97-68 win over Michigan on Feb. 13. In 22 games, all starts, he is averaging 12.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks in 31.4 minutes.
Fifth-year senior Quincy Guerrier is also making a solid impression in his first season with the team. He spent the past two years at Oregon, while prior to that, he played two seasons at Syracuse. Guerrier has scored in double figures in 15 games, and has recorded eight double-doubles. He also scored a season-high 28 points in a 97-73 win over Missouri on Dec. 22. In 25 games, all starts, Guerrier is averaging 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 25.6 minutes of action. See which team to pick here.
Why Penn State can cover
With leading scorer Kanye Clary dismissed from the team, look for senior guard Ace Baldwin Jr. to take over some of the scoring duties. Baldwin scored 10 points, made five steals and grabbed three rebounds in Saturday's loss at Nebraska. He is in his first season with the team after playing three years at VCU. In 26 games, including 24 starts, Baldwin is averaging 14 points, 5.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 34.9 minutes of action.
Another VCU transfer the Nittany Lions will lean on is junior guard Nick Kern Jr. In 25 games, including 16 starts, Kern is averaging 8.2 points, four rebounds, 1.5 assists and one steal in 24.1 minutes. He played 33 minutes in the loss at Nebraska, scoring seven points and grabbing five rebounds. He had 18 points and seven boards in a 68-63 loss at Northwestern on Feb. 11. See which team to pick here.
How to make Penn State vs. Illinois picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 149 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can see the picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Illinois vs. Penn State, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 25-13 roll on top-ranked college basketball spread picks.
