The Wisconsin Badgers are gunning for that conference crown. After a very successful run to the Final Four last season, Wisconsin is the big favorite to win this year’s Big Ten title. The Badgers begin conference play at home against a feisty Penn State team that lost just once during their non-conference part of the schedule.
Find everything you need to know about the Badgers’ Big Ten opener with our preview below. And for more college basketball coverage, check out our preview of Butler vs. Villanova as the Bulldogs begin life in the Big East.
[sc:MultiSportArticles ]Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Wisconsin Badgers Betting Preview
Where: Kohl Center, Madison
When: Wednesday, December 31, 2014, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Penn State Nittany Lions at Wisconsin Badgers – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State was nearly perfect during non-conference play as it navigated an easy schedule toward a 12-1 record. However, the Nittany Lions have been far from impressive against the spread. They have been favored in 10 of 11 games, but have covered just three times.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]But the Lions will be coming off their most impressive win of the season when they go on the road as significant underdogs against Wisconsin. They trounced Dartmouth, 69-49, at home on Dec. 22 to seal their 10th win in a row.
Senior guard DJ Newbill had an efficient 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field against Dartmouth. Newbill is the team’s leading scorer this season, averaging 21 points per game (No. 11 in the nation).
Newbill scored 26 and 18 points against USC and Virginia Tech, respectively, to lead the Lions to narrow wins against their only two Power 5 non-conference opponents. He has also erupted for 20-plus points twice in three career games against the Badgers, although both games came at home and both resulted in losses.
Penn State has some significant size in the frontcourt – juniors Jordan Dickerson and Donovan Jack are 7-0 and 6-9, respectively – and should match up fairly well with Wisconsin’s tall frontline.
Their starting forwards, Ross Travis and Brandon Taylor, are also terrific rebounders – both average six or more per game – and will challenge the Badgers on the glass. Penn State is in the top 50 in the nation in rebounding (39.2 per game).
Despite losing seven of its last nine games against Wisconsin, Penn State has remarkably covered in all nine of its last meetings with the Badgers.
Betting on the Wisconsin Badgers
A loss to Duke aside, Wisconsin has taken care of business during the non-conference part of its schedule. The Badgers are 12-1 on the season and an impressive 9-4 against the spread, one of the best covering rates in the country. Wisconsin has been blowing teams away by an average of 21.2 points per game, the seventh-best mark thus far this season.
Senior Frank Kaminsky had his best game in a while as he almost single-handedly carried the Badgers to a 68-56 win over Buffalo on Sunday. The All-American center had 25 points – his first 20-point game since his season-high 26 against Boise State on November 22 – on 9-of-16 shooting with 11 rebounds and six blocks.
Junior forward Sam Dekker was the only other Badger in double figures with 13. It’s been a slightly underwhelming season thus far for Dekker, who is projected as a mid-first round NBA draft pick, but he’s finally starting to string together some consistency. Dekker is averaging 15 points on 53 percent shooting in the four games after scoring just seven total points against Duke and Marquette.
The Badgers have also tightened the screws defensively in recent games. They’ve held their last five opponents to sub-40 percent shooting from the field. Wisconsin is allowing just 52. 4 points per game this season, the fourth-fewest in all of college basketball.
Wisconsin is 18-2 in its last 20 games against Penn State.
Writer’s Prediction
Wisconsin puts down a beating on Penn State as the Badgers win and cover at home. Create a betting account today and put your money down on one of college basketball’s powerhouses.
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