The Penn State Nittany Lions (7-12, 0-8 Big 10) look to put an end to their six-game losing streak when they clash with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-9, 2-6 Big 10) at Bryce Jordan Center. The game begins at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 26, 2019.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Penn State Nittany Lions Free Prediction
In the Scarlet Knights’ last game, they topped the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 76-69. Getting to the free throw line was one of Rutgers’ largest strengths. They had 26 free throw attempts, while Nebraska had 18. Myles Johnson had a good outing for Rutgers, recording 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Nittany Lions lost a tough one against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in their last contest, 65-64. One of Minnesota’s largest advantages was getting to the free throw line. They made 30 trips to the line, while Penn State went 20 times. With 27 points on 9-for-17 shooting, Lamar Stevens was the top scorer from either team.
Half-court execution will be critical when a pair of the country’s slowest-paced teams square off. Penn State ranks 260th in possessions per game (68.1) and Rutgers is 253rd (68.3). Furthermore, the Scarlet Knights rank 37th in offensive rebounding percentage (34.4 percent), while the Nittany Lions rank 59th in defensive rebounding percentage (74.8 percent).
After the Nittany Lions won the lone game against the Scarlet Knights last season, 60-43, these teams will battle for the first time this year. The Nittany Lions had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (26.5 vs. 5.7) and had a much better effective field goal percentage (0.482 vs. 0.353).
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Penn State Nittany Lions Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Rutgers, ATS Winner – Rutgers, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes:
Penn State ranks 23rd in three pointers allowed per game (18.7) while Rutgers ranks 127th (22.1).
The Scarlet Knights average 39.3 rebounds per game, which ranks 34th in the country. The Nittany Lions rank 133rd in rebounds allowed per game (34.6).
Rutgers ranks 39th in blocks per game (4.4) while Penn State ranks 122nd in blocks allowed per game (3.7).
The Nittany Lions rank 51st in steals per game (7.6) while the Scarlet Knights rank 132nd in steals allowed per game (6.7).
Bettings Trends:
The Scarlet Knights have been outscored by an average of 10.2 points in their last five games. For the season, Rutgers has defeated opponents by an average of 0.4 points.
During their last five games, the Nittany Lions have scored an average of 63.6 points per game (4.2 below their season average) and allowed an average of 73.2 points per game (5.0 above their season average).
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