Penn State vs. Texas Picks, Predictions, Odds

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The Texas Longhorns are looking to make their first Sweet 16 appearance in 15 years. Texas is a serious title contender with victories over Gonzaga and Creighton in non-conference play, and the Longhorns won the toughest conference tournament in the country.

They cruised to a 20-point win over Colgate in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and they will now face the Penn State Nittany Lions for the right to go to the second weekend of March Madness. Penn State hasn't been to the Sweet 16 in over two decades, and a win for the Nittany Lions would make Micah Shrewsberry the hottest name on the coaching market.

On Saturday, March 18, 2023, the Penn State Nittany Lions will take on the Texas Longhorns for a spot in the Sweet 16. This game will tip off at 7:45 p.m. ET on CBS from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns Betting Prediction

Penn State is an excellent shooting team that doesn't turn the ball over. The Nittany Lions rank in the top eight in effective field goal percentage and turnover percentage, and they are making 39% of their threes. However, they will be facing one of the toughest defenses in the country in Texas. The Longhorns rank 11th in Ken Pomeroy's defensive efficiency metric, and they force a lot of turnovers. That will prove too much for Penn State, and Texas will end up with a comfortable victory.

Best Bet: Texas -5.5 (-110)
Score Prediction: Texas 72, Penn State 63

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Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns Betting Odds

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns Betting Resources

Date: Saturday, Mar. 18, 2023
TV-Time: CBS, 7:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Wells Fargo Arena
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Matchup
Expert Picks

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns Betting Stats

Penn State Nittany Lions
SU: 23-13
ATS: 22-14
O/U: 20-15-1
PPG: 72.4
OPPG: 68.1

Texas Longhorns
SU: 27-8
ATS: 18-17
O/U: 17-18
PPG: 77.9
OPPG: 67.2

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

Updated on 04/26/2024

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Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Analysis

Jalen Pickett is one of the best players in the country. Pickett has taken his game to another level as a senior, and he leads the Nittany Lions in points (17.9 PPG), rebounds (7.3 RPG), and assists (6.7 APG). His shooting touch has improved considerably too, as Pickett is making over 51% of his field goals and 38.5% of his threes.

All five of Penn State's starters are great three-point shooters. The worst of the bunch is Myles Dread, but he is making 37.5% of his threes on the season. Seth Lundy is averaging 14.3 PPG and making 40.2% of his threes, Andrew Funk is averaging 12.5 PPG and making 42% of his triples, and Camren Wynter is averaging 8.8 PPG and making 41.2$ of his treys. No one else on the team has attempted more than 37 threes for Penn State on the season.

There are some real issues with Penn State though. The Nittany Lions are ranked in the bottom three nationally in offensive rebounding percentage and in their ability to get to the free throw line. Additionally, they rank in the bottom three nationally in turnovers forced on defense. However, they do a solid job with defensive rebounding considering their lack of size.

Texas Longhorns Betting Analysis

Texas has its own do-it-all superstar to counter Jalen Pickett in Marcus Carr. The senior leads the Longhorns with 15.9 PPG, 4.1 APG, and 1.7 SPG. Carr isn't as efficient of a shooter as he is making just 43% of his field goals and 36.8% of his three-pointers, but he is a very good on-ball defender.

Sir'Jabari Rice is averaging 12.9 PPG, and he is hitting 46% of his field goals and 37.2% of his threes. Rice is the second leading scorer on the Longhorns, and he is the best three-point shooter among players with 60 attempts or more. Timmy Allen and Dylan Disu are the players to watch in the frontcourt as both Allen and Disu can rebound well, and they are decent rebounders to boot.

The Longhorns are extremely well-rounded on offense and defense. Christian Bishop and Brock Cunningham are both very good defensive stoppers, and Cunningham is a solid perimeter shooter when he puts it up from distance. Disu can be a menace in the paint, and Texas has a solid rotation of fresh legs to bring in so that they can keep the pressure on their opponents.