The Penn State Nittany Lions (13-6) travel to face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes (12-7) on Friday, January 24th. This game will be played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City and televised on FS1. Penn State is coming off a win in their previous game, while Iowa is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Minnesota. Tip-off is set for 9:00 ET.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs Iowa Hawkeyes
The Nittany Lions Are Coming Off A Win
Penn State improved to 13-6 on the season with an 80-72 win over Rutgers on Monday. The Nittany Lions were -7 favorites at home and covered the spread. The total points for the game ended at 152, just under the O/U line of 155.5.
Penn State led 37-35 at halftime and pulled away in the second half, outscoring Rutgers 43-37 to secure the win.
The Hawkeyes Are Coming Off A Win
Iowa dropped to 12-7 on the season after a 72-67 home loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. The Hawkeyes, who were -8.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.
After trailing 32-28 at halftime, Iowa scored 39 points in the 2nd half but allowed 40. The game’s total points of 139 fell short of the 150.5 O/U line.
Nittany Lions Offense Breakdown
Penn State’s offense put up 80 points in their last game, shooting 49% from the field and hitting 47.6% from three-point range, connecting on 10 of 21 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 59.2%, and they were strong at the free-throw line, converting 81.5% of their 27 attempts.
Ace Bailey was the standout performer, scoring 30 points on 13-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Yanic Konan Niederhauser was also efficient, hitting 7 of 8 shots, while Nick Kern Jr. was perfect from the field, going 4-for-4. Ace Baldwin Jr. contributed 22 points and 8 assists, and Freddie Dilione V was 4-for-4 from three-point range.
Hawkeyes Offense Breakdown
In their latest game, Iowa’s offense put up 67 points, shooting 45.9% from the field. Their two-point shooting was a strong 62.5% (25/40), but they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 21 attempts for 14.3%.
Owen Freeman and Payton Sandfort each contributed 21 points, with Freeman shooting 71.4% from the field. Iowa finished with 19 assists, and Femi Odukale added 18 points, shooting 62.5% overall and hitting his only three-point attempt.
Nittany Lions Team Defense
Despite giving up 72 points, Penn State’s defense couldn’t slow down their opponent, who shot 49% from the field. They allowed 24 made field goals, with 14 of those coming from two-point range, where their opponent shot 50%.
From beyond the arc, Penn State’s defense gave up 10 threes on 21 attempts, a 47% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 27 times, where they converted 22 free throws, shooting 81%.
Hawkeyes Team Defense
Despite Penn State’s defensive efforts, they allowed 72 points on 49% shooting from the field. The Nittany Lions gave up 14 two-point baskets on 28 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 50% inside the arc.
From three-point range, Penn State’s defense conceded 10 threes on 21 attempts, a 47% success rate. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 27 times, where they converted 22 free throws at an 81% clip. Penn State limited offensive rebounds, allowing just 4.
Nittany Lions vs Hawkeyes Trends
- In their last three games away from home, the Nittany Lions have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 1-2 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 70 points per game in these contests.
- In their last five games at home, the Hawkeyes have a straight up record of 0-5 while going 1-4 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 81 points per game in these contests.
- Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Nittany Lions have gone 5-3-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-8.
- Through their last three games as the favorite, the Hawkeyes have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.
Nittany Lions vs Hawkeyes Prediction
Not only do we have the Hawkeyes winning this one by a score of 77-69, but we see them covering the spread. Our pick is to grab the Hawkeyes at -2.5.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 171.5, and our model predicts the Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes to score a combined 146 points. We recommend betting on 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:January 24, 2025 Iowa Hawkeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions