Purdue vs. Penn State Prediction & Odds
Number one Purdue and unranked Penn State both head to Philadelphia to face each other at 6:00 PM ET Sunday night on Big Ten Network. Can the Boilermakers cover the 5-point spread as neutral site favorites?
Purdue is 14-1 on the year with their best wins coming over Gonzaga and Duke. Their only loss came against Rutgers on January 2nd. The Boilermakers are 5-9-1 against the spread this season.
Penn State is 11-4 this season with their best wins coming over Illinois and Iowa. Their worst losses came against Virginia Tech and Clemson. The Nittany Lions are 8-6-1 against the spread this year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
869 Purdue Boilermakers (-5) vs. 870 Penn State Nittany Lions (+5); O/U 135.5
6:00 PM ET, Sunday, January 8, 2023
The Palestra, Philadelphia, PA
Purdue vs. Penn State Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that the public is split on this contest. Our public betting data illustrates that 50% of public bets are on Purdue -5. Do note that these numbers are subject to change and could be different once tipoff rolls around, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Purdue Game Notes
Purdue is led by junior center Zach Edey. The 7’4” 295-pound Toronto native is 10th in the country in scoring with 21.3 points per game and 2nd in the country in rebounding with 13.2 per game. Edey excels at getting good shots, as he’s shooting 62.6% from the field. What’s more, teams are hesitant to foul him excessively as he shoots 74.1% from the free-throw line.
Purdue’s best guard is Fletcher Loyer. The 6’4” freshman from Fort Wayne, Indiana is second on the club in scoring with 12.1 points per game and he offers a nice outside complement to Zach Edey’s inside presence for the Boilermakers.
Penn State Game Notes
Penn State guard Jalen Pickett has been one of the best players in the Big Ten this season. The 6’4” senior from Rochester, NY is stuffing the stat sheet this year, posting 17.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game for the Nittany Lions. He’s also shooting well, making 48.8% of field goal attempts on the year.
Penn State’s other top guard is 6’6” senior Seth Lundy. Lundy is posting 13.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this season while shooting an efficient 48.4% from the field and 40.3% from deep. The Nittany Lions will need both Pickett and Lundy to hit several shots to cover against the #1 ranked Boilermakers on Sunday.
Purdue vs. Penn State CBB Betting Trends
Purdue is 6-17-3 ATS in their last 26 games following an outright win.
Penn State is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Sunday games.
Penn State is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following an outright loss.
The underdog is 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between Purdue and Penn State.
Purdue vs. Penn State CBB Prediction:
It’s worth noting that this game is being played in Philadelphia, which is a three-hour drive from Penn State’s campus in State College, PA. The neutral site may be an advantage for the Nittany Lions as they are 20-6-3 ATS in their last 29 neutral site contests. What’s more, Penn State has been excelling against better competition from an against-the-spread perspective. The Nittany Lions are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games against teams with a winning percentage over .600.
Purdue is a great team, but they’re coming off an emotional high after hitting a late three-pointer to topple Ohio State on the road in Columbus on Thursday. It’s going to be difficult for the Boilers to bring the same energy in a neutral site contest on a sleepy Sunday night against a seemingly inferior opponent. I think Penn State surprises some people and either earns their best win of the season in this contest or falls just short. I’ll take the Nittany Lions and the points in Philadelphia.
CBB BETTING PREDICTION: PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS +5
