How to Watch Oregon Ducks vs. Penn State Nittany Lions: Preview, Betting Odds, TV Channel

TV channel, preview, betting odds and prediction for the matchup between the Oregon Ducks at the Penn State Nittany Lions basketball teams inside the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania on Sunday, Jan. 12 at 1 p.m. PT. Oregon coach Dana Altman and the Ducks are favorites over Penn State.
Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) shoots the ball in the first half at Value City Arena on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) shoots the ball in the first half at Value City Arena on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 15 Oregon Ducks (14-2, 3-2) men's basketball team will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions (12-4, 2-3) on Sunday, Jan. 12 at 1 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Preview

Penn State is on the NCAA Tournament bubble. According to ESPN's Joe Lunardi, he has the Nittany Lions on the Next Four Out line. Lunardi has the Ducks as a No. 3 seed in the West (San Francisco) region, specifically playing the first weekend of March Madness in Providence, Rhode Island.

Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad (3) dribbles past the defense of Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2)
Jan 9, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad (3) dribbles past the defense of Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) during the first half at Value City Arena. / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Nittany Lions are led by senior standout guard Ace Baldwin Jr. The Virginia Commonwealth Rams transfer leads the team in points per game (13.9), assists per game (8.0), and steals per game (2.0).

At 6-1, he has continued to improve upon his ability to scan the open floor and find others for high-percentage offensive looks. Back on Dec. 14 in the 99-51 win over the Coppin State Eagles, Baldwin Jr. set the program record for assists in a game with 16.

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"We're playing together. If we play our style every game, we're going to be good. Don't let the outside noise control what's going on inside, and stay together."

Ace Baldwin Jr. via York Daily Record

He ranks fourth in the country for total assists at 128. He has struggled with turnovers this season with 59. If he can improve his decision-making and avoid forcing plays, Baldwin should move up NBA Draft boards.

Oregon coach Dana Altman has a lot more depth to his roster compared to last season but as of late, it has been guard Jackson Shelstad and center Nate Bittle running the show. In the last two games for the Ducks, Shelstad has averaged 23.5 points per game on a staggering 76.1 field goal percentage, 81.8 three-point percentage, and a 100.0 free throw percentage. Bittle continues to lead the team with 13.9 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game, and 1.9 blocks per game.

Oregon men’s coach Dana Altman brings his team together before their game against Weber State at Matthew Knight Arena
Oregon men’s coach Dana Altman brings his team together before their game against Weber State at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is yet another Quad 1 road game for Oregon. On the season, The Ducks are 6-2 in Quad 1 opportunities and 2-0 in Quad 2 opportunities. Oregon ranks No. 20 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool or NET rankings at the moment and Penn State is at No. 51.

According to oddsmakers across the major sportsbooks, the Ducks are favored to win against the Nittany Lions. The spread is currently three points in favor of Oregon, The over/under points total is set at 154.5. Money line for Oregon is -155 and +130 for Penn State.

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Arden Cravalho
ARDEN CRAVALHO

Arden Cravalho has been covering Oregon football and basketball for Sports Illustrated's Oregon site since June 2024. Arden has been writing extensively about college athletics beginning in 2018. His other work can be seen on "The Slipper Still Fits" at SB Nation. Arden is a graduate of Gonzaga University and brings a deep understanding of college sports to his writing. Residing in San Francisco, CA, Arden continues to follow his passion for college sports with a focus on the Ducks. His experience and dedication to covering Oregon's athletic programs are evident in his insightful articles and analysis