Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Free Vegas Pick
Thursday, January 19, 2012
by Joe Rodriguez
The Illinois Fighting Illini have had more than a week to come down from the high of upsetting Ohio State on Jan. 10. Illinois shocked the No. 5 Buckeyes thanks to a historic game from shooting guard Brandon Paul.
The junior put on one of the greatest performances of the college basketball season, scoring 43 points to tie the third-highest, single-game point total in school history. Paul and Illinois collide with another Big Ten star when they visit Penn State and its dynamic scorer Tim Frazier.
The junior has been red-hot in his last three games with 71 points. However, that wasn't enough for the Penn State Nittany Lions, who lost all three outings and head into Thursday with one win in conference play.
Illinois leads the all-time series with Penn State 24-12, including 10-6 in State College.
- Illinois Fighting Illini @ Penn State Nittany Lions
When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 19, 2012
Where: Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, Pennsylvania
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN3.com
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SBG Global Sportsbook currently have the Fighting Illini listed as 4-point favorites versus the Nittany Lions.
Illinois Fighting Illini (15-3): Paul's performance was unforgettable, especially his eight 3-point buckets. But lost in the celebration was a strong two-way effort from sophomore center Meyers Leonard. Leonard matched up with Ohio State's Jared Sullinger, stayed out of foul trouble and stretched the Buckeyes' defense with a soft touch from mid-range. His presences inside demands double teams and opens the floor for guards such as Paul and D.J. Richardson to operate.
Penn State Nittany Lions (9-10): The Nittany Lions thrive on turnovers. Penn State averages 7.5 steals and has swiped the ball 9.3 times per game during its three-game losing skid. Frazier is tied for the conference lead in steals at 2.5. The Nittany Lions, who force an average 14.9 turnovers, made Minnesota cough up the ball 17 times in their 80-66 loss to the Golden Gophers and forced 16 turnovers in a 70-58 defeat to Nebraska.
1. Illinois expects starting point guard Sam Maniscalco to return after missing the last three games with a nagging ankle injury. The Bradley transfer is averaging 9.9 points.
2. Five of the last eight meetings have been decided by two points or less, including four by one point.
3. Paul, the Big Ten Player of the Week, tied for the second-most single-game points in Division I this season behind Creighton’s Doug McDermott, who scored 44 points versus Bradley on Jan. 7.
BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Fighting Illini 71, Nittany Lions 68.
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brandon paul - bryce jordan center - d.j. richardson - doug mcdermott - illinois fighting illini - jared sullinger - meyers leonard - penn state nittany lions - sam maniscalco