The Iowa Hawkeyes (13-9) travel to face off against the Penn State Nittany Lions (11-11) on Thursday, February 8th. This game will be played at Bryce Jordan Center in University Park and televised on BTN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.
Iowa Hawkeyes vs Penn State Nittany Lions
The Iowa Hawkeyes Are Coming Off A Win
Heading into their matchup with Penn State, Iowa is 13-9 overall and 5-6 in Big Ten play. They have been much better at home this season, going 11-4 compared to 2-5 on the road.
As the favorite, the Hawkeyes are 11-2 this season, and they are coming off a 79-77 win over Ohio State.
As the favorite this season, Iowa has gone 6-7 vs. the spread. On the road, the Hawkeyes are 3-4 ATS this year and 4-6 in their last 10 road games. Overall, Iowa’s ATS record is 9-13 this season.
So far this season, the over/under record for Iowa games is 14-8. Today’s over/under line of 161.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games this year (160.6). In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total is 154 points.
The Penn State Nittany Lions Are Coming Off A Win
After a two-game road win streak, Penn State will look to continue its strong play at home. The Nittany Lions are 9-4 at home this season, compared to just 2-7 on the road. Penn State’s average scoring margin at home is +10.0, compared to -7.9 on the road.
Overall, Penn State is 11-11, including a 5-6 record in Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions have won two straight games, including an 85-71 victory over Indiana in their most recent contest.
As the underdog, Penn State has a solid ATS mark of 7-5 this season. Their overall ATS record is just below .500 at 10-12. At home, the Nittany Lions are 6-7 vs. the spread this year. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, Penn State has gone 7-3 ATS.
This season, the over/under record for Penn State games is 13-8-1, and today’s line of 161.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (145.2). So far, 16 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 139 points.
Iowa Offense Breakdown
Against Ohio State, the Iowa had a tough time putting up points compared to their season average of 84.2 points per game. They scored 79 points and posted a field goal percentage of 54.7% in the game. Leading Iowa in scoring vs. Ohio State was Tony Perkins with his 20 points. Payton Sandfort also added 15 points for the Hawkeyes.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Perkins (G) | 15.7 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Payton Sandfort (F) | 15.0 | 6.7 | 2.5 |
| Ben Krikke (F) | 14.7 | 4.9 | 1.7 |
Penn State Offense Breakdown
The Penn State offense is coming off a game in which they scored 85 points vs. Indiana. Overall their field goal percentage was 57.4% while connecting on 12 threes. Leading Penn State in scoring vs. Indiana was Adrian Baldwin Jr with his 22 points. Zach Hicks also added 19 points for the Nittany Lions.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanye Clary (G) | 18.4 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
| Adrian Baldwin Jr (G) | 13.6 | 2.0 | 5.2 |
| Qudus Wahab (F) | 9.5 | 8.0 | 0.5 |
Iowa Team Defense
At this time, the Hawkeyes’ defense is positioned 277th in the country, permitting 77.2 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Iowa’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 44.9% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 34.4% this season.
Penn State Team Defense
At present, the Nittany Lions’ defense is nationally ranked 199th, allowing 73.3 points per game. Penn State’s defense is coming off a game in which they allowed the Indiana offense to knock down 48% of their shots on their way to putting up 71 points.
Hawkeyes vs Nittany Lions Trends
- Across the Hawkeyes last ten road games, the team averaged 73 points per game while allowing 79. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 4-6, while going 3-7 straight-up.
- The Nittany Lions are 2-1 ATS in their last three home games and 2-1 straight-up.
- Through their last five games as the underdog, the Nittany Lions have an ATS record of 4-1 and a straight up mark of 3-2.
- As the betting favorite, the Hawkeyes have an ATS record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 4-1.
Hawkeyes vs Nittany Lions Prediction
Coming in as the underdogs at +1.5, we have the Nittany Lions as the way to go on the point spread. Not only do we have them covering, but our projections show they have a good one of winning this one straight-up, if you’re looking for a higher payout on the moneyline.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 161.5 and given that our model is projecting 143 points between the teams, we like the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:February 8, 2024 Iowa Hawkeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions