The Penn State Nittany Lions (24-13) battle against the Mississippi State Bulldogs (25-11) in the NIT at Madison Square Garden. The game can be seen on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 27, 2018.
The game’s Over/Under (O/U) opened at 135 points with Penn State set as a 2.5-point favorite.
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Free Prediction
In the Bulldogs’ last contest, they dismantled the Louisville Cardinals, 79-56. The Bulldogs forced 16 turnovers and had an offensive rebounding percentage of 42.9 (above their season average of 31.5). With 19 points on 6-for-10 shooting, Quinndary Weatherspoon was the top scorer from either team.
The Nittany Lions were victorious over the Marquette Golden Eagles in their last contest, 85-80. The Nittany Lions made 17 of their 21 free throws (81.0 percent) and had an effective field goal percentage of 0.586 (above their season average of 0.519). With 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds, Tony Carr had a solid performance for Penn State.
Points could be at a premium as a pair of the nation’s top defenses clash. Penn State currently ranks 39th in defensive efficiency (98.7) and Mississippi State is 44th (98.8).
Mississippi State heads into the game with records of 25-11 straight up (SU) and 16-14-1 against the spread (ATS). Just over half of the Bulldogs’ games have finished under the total.
Meanwhile, Penn State owns records of 24-13 SU and 19-13-1 ATS. Games featuring the Nittany Lions also have finished under the total 54.5 percent of the time.
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Pick
Free Pick: SU Winner – Penn State, ATS Winner – Mississippi State, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
Mississippi State ranks eighth in blocks per game (5.4) while Penn State ranks 188th in blocks allowed per game (3.8).
The Nittany Lions rank 24th in three pointers allowed per game (18.8) while the Bulldogs rank 176th (22.4).
Penn State ranks 48th in steals per game (7.3) while Mississippi State ranks 93rd (6.7).
Bettings Trends:
The Bulldogs’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 6.2, down from 6.2 for the season.
During their last five games, the Nittany Lions have scored an average of 72.0 points per game (2.5 below their season average) and allowed an average of 69.2 points per game (2.3 above their season average).
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