Wisconsin vs. Penn State Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for Thursday, Jan. 22

We don't have a ton of great college basketball matchups to watch tonight, but there is a Big Ten showdown between the Wisconsin Badgers and Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Badgers have strung together four straight wins, including a big upset win over Michigan, handing the Wolverines their first loss of the season. Can they keep the momentum going against a Penn State team that has yet to record a Big Ten win?

Let's find out what the oddsmakers think.

Wisconsin vs. Penn State Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Wisconsin -5.5 (-112)
Penn State +5.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Wisconsin -250
Penn State +205

Total

OVER 160.5 (-115)
UNDER 160.5 (-105)

Wisconsin vs. Penn State How to Watch

Date: Thursday, January 22
Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
Venue: Bryce Jordan Center
How to Watch (TV): FS1
Wisconsin Record: 13-5 (5-2 in Big Ten)
Penn State Record: 9-9 (0-7 in Big Ten)

Wisconsin vs. Penn State Betting Trends

The OVER is 4-1 in Wisconsin's last five games
Penn State is 5-1 ATS in its last six games vs. Wisconsin
Wisconsin is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 road games
Penn State is 3-15 straight up in its last 18 home games vs. Wisconsin
Penn State is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games vs. Big Ten opponents

Wisconsin vs. Penn State Key Player to Watch

Nick Boyd, G - Wisconsin Badgers

Nick Boyd is averaging 19.9 points per game this season, along with 3.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He's the heart and soul of this Wisconsin Badgers team, leading in both points and assists. He's coming off a 32-point performance against Rutgers last Saturday. Wisconsin is going to be tough to beat if Boyd keeps playing at that level.

Wisconsin vs. Penn State Prediction and Pick

Instead of betting on a side in this game, I'm going to bet on the total and take the OVER 160.5. Penn State is a much better shooting team than you might think based on the Nittany Lions' record. They rank 82nd in the country in effective field goal percentage. Where they struggle is on defense, ranking 279th in defensive efficiency.

Wisconsin is also better offensively than defensively, ranking 67th and 133rd in the two aforementioned categories.

I also expect the Badgers to push the pace in this game. They rank 87th in college basketball in possessions per game, averaging 73.3. If they can push Penn State up and down the court, this game has all the makings of an offensive shootout.

Let's sit back and root for points in this Big Ten showdown.

Pick: OVER 160.5 (-115) via DraftKings

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