Subscribe
Follow Us
These two teams are struggling and have had a rough season in Big Ten play. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Washington-Penn State prediction and pick.
Washington is 12-12, with only two notable wins against Maryland and Northwestern. They also have losses to UCLA twice, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Oregon, Nebraska, and Ohio State. Great Osobor has been incredible since coming over from Utah State, and they need all they can from him in this game against Penn State.
Penn State is 13-12 and has quality wins against Purdue and Northwestern. It also has losses against Clemson, Illinois, Oregon, Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, and UCLA. Ace Baldwin Jr. is the biggest standout on a balanced Penn State offense, and he can help the Nittany Lions make a statement in a game they need in the Big Ten Conference.
Here are the Washington-Penn State College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Washington-Penn State Odds
Washington: +6.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +225
Penn State: -6.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -280
Over: 151.5 (-110)
Under: 151.5 (-110)
How to Watch Washington vs. Penn State
Time: 2:00 pm ET/11:00 am PT
TV: BTN
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Washington Will Cover The Spread/Win
Penn State's defense is ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten this season. They allow 73.5 points per game, 45.7% from the field, and 34.8% from behind the arc. They are also 94th in defensive efficiency with a 103.5 rating.
The rebounding has been suspect, with Yanic Konan Niederhauser leading the way with six per game. He is also the team leader in blocks, with two per game.
They have been solid on the perimeter and with their on-ball defense, with four different Nittany Lions averaging at least one steal. Ace Baldwin Jr. is the team leader in steals, with two per game. The Nittany Lions should find some success on this side of the court because Washington has done nothing impressive on offense outside of Osobor. If Penn State can at least slow Osobor down, this matchup will favor the Nittany Lions.
Why Penn State Will Cover The Spread/Win
Washington's offense has been awful and is one of the worst offenses in the Big Ten. They score 71.8 points per game, have a 44.4% field goal percentage, and a 33.5% three-point shooting percentage. They also have the 120th-ranked adjusted offensive efficiency rating on KenPom with a 110.3 rating.
Only three Huskies are averaging over double digits in scoring, and Osobor has emerged as the most consistent scorer on the team, averaging 15.3 points per game. Regarding ball movement, the Huskies have struggled. They average 12.6 assists per game, and Osobor is the assists leader, averaging 3.1.
This offense relies so much on Osobor, but Penn State's defense is near the bottom of the Big Ten, and the team should be able to score on this defense, even on the road.
Washington's defense has been around the same as their offense, but maybe a little better as a unit. They allow 73.1 points per game, 46.3% from the field, and 33.5% from behind the arc. The defense is 85th in KenPom, with a 103.1 rating.
Osobor is the Huskies' best player in the frontcourt. He leads the team in rebounds and steals, 8.5 and 1.9 per game, respectively. Tyler Harris is also the block leader, averaging one per game. Washington's defense has been unimpressive all season, but Penn State's offense is not exactly doing anything special in this matchup.
Penn State's offense is highly balanced and has been one of the better offenses in college basketball. They score 79.7 points per game, have a field goal percentage of 47.6%, and have a three-point percentage of 33.6%. They are a top-70 offense on KenPom, with a 114.9 offensive rating.
The balance for this offense is a giant X-factor, with five different Nittany Lions averaging over double digits. Ace Baldwin Jr. is the prominent scoring leader, averaging 13.8 points per game, and he leads the team with 7.2 assists per game. Penn State is also averaging 15.8 assists per game as a team, which is 66th in the country.
This offense has too much balance for Washington to contain. In this matchup, Penn State should quickly start a scoring avalanche on Washington at home.
Final Washington-Penn State Prediction & Pick
Washington has had a rough season and has struggled to find much consistency on offense and defense. Osobor is easily the best player for the Huskies, but he can't do everything himself. The difference is Penn State has an offense that has earned trust all season. They have balance and difference-makers on offense, mainly Baldwin Jr., and he can take over this game at home. The Nittany Lions should win and cover in this matchup at home.
Final Washington-Penn State Prediction & Pick: Penn State -6.5 (-115)
