Rutgers Scarlet Knights Favored to Extend Winning Streak Against Penn State Nittany Lions

Game outlook

The Penn State Nittany Lions and Rutgers Scarlet Knights are set to face off in a Big Ten battle on Wednesday night at Jersey Mike's Arena. Rutgers, aiming for their fourth consecutive win against Penn State, is the betting favorite with an opening line of -7.5, which has since shifted to Rutgers -7. It remains to be seen whether the Nittany Lions will silence the home crowd in Piscataway or if Rutgers will continue their winning streak.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Nittany Lions +250 | Scarlet Knights -300

Spread: Nittany Lions +7 (-110) | Scarlet Knights -7 (-110)

Total: Over/Under 143.75 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Rutgers will win straight-up is 75%.

Penn St. Nittany Lions

The Penn State Nittany Lions have been struggling recently, losing four out of their last five games. Their most recent loss, by nine points to Minnesota, has resulted in a 3-6 record in conference play. According to KenPom, Penn State is currently considered the worst team in the Big Ten. However, they are still ahead of Rutgers in the standings and will rely on their average of 76.3 points per game to try and surpass them. The team has a shooting percentage of 43.5% from the field, 30.9% from three-point range, and 73.9% from the free-throw line. Despite playing at a fast pace, Penn State only commits an average of 10.7 turnovers per game. Can Kanye Clary, who averages 18.4 points per game, help lead Penn State back to success? Defensively, the Nittany Lions allow an average of 74.8 points per game. They struggle with opponent shooting percentages, allowing a Big Ten-worst 46.2% from the field. However, they perform better at defending three-pointers with opponents shooting 32.2% from beyond the arc. Penn State's opponents have an average of 20.2 free throw attempts per game. In terms of rebounding, the Nittany Lions have a -6.0 average (last in the Big Ten), but they have an advantage in turnover margin with a +4.9 average (best in the Big Ten). It will be interesting to see how this team performs in their upcoming game on Wednesday. In terms of overall rankings, Penn State is currently ranked 234th. They rank 127th in offense, averaging 76.25 points per game. Defensively, they rank 259th, allowing an average of 74.75 points against them per game. With a field goal percentage of 43.49% (ranked 250th) and a free-throw percentage of 73.91% (ranked 84th), Penn State's offense has room for improvement. They struggle with three-point shooting at 30.94% (ranked 300th). Additionally, they average 32.15 rebounds per game (ranked 340th), 11.90 offensive assists, and 10.70 turnovers per game (ranked 291st and 73rd respectively). Defensively, Penn State allows opponents