The Illinois Fighting Illini (17-7, 8-5 Big Ten) take on the slumping Penn State Nittany Lions (14-11, 5-9) at Bryce Jordan Center Tuesday. Tip is set for 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Illinois vs. Penn State odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
This will be a rematch of a Dec.10 matchup in which Penn State, as a 10-point underdog, went to Champagne and beat Illinois 74-59.
Illinois recorded a 69-60 win as a 6-point favorite against Rutgers Saturday and now visits Penn State team riding a 4-game losing skid.
The Nittany Lions 74-68 at Maryland Saturday, but covered the spread as 8-point underdogs. Despite the against-the-spread (ATS) victory, the wheels have fallen off Penn State since starting the season 11-3. Following losses to Purdue, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Maryland, a win Tuesday would go a long way to correct the ills of the recent past.