Two of the hottest teams in March meet when the 10th-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions and Texas Longhorns play in a second-round March Madness game. The Longhorns (27-8) won the Big 12 Tournament and are popular among March Madness bracket predictions.
Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions denied an opportunity for Texas to renew its rivalry with Texas A&M.
Penn State (23-13) made a charge late in the Big Ten college basketball standings and are 6-1 in March, with the only loss on the NCAAB schedule to Purdue by two in the conference tournament title game.
This should be one of the more popular NCAA basketball games today due to the contrasting teams.
Here are team breakdowns, odds, updates, and a Penn State vs Texas prediction.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns Odds
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns Information
Penn State Nittany Lions vs Texas Longhorns
Location: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA.
Date and Time: Saturday, March 18, 2023, 7:45 PM ET.
How to Watch: CBS
Updates for Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns
It is unclear if Penn State will get Caleb Dorsey back. He is on the college basketball injury report for an undisclosed reason. But he has been out since late February, so he likely won’t be back for the first meeting between the two teams and shouldn’t factor into the Penn State vs Texas prediction.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns Betting Preview
The NCAAB odds show Texas is favored by 5.5 points and is -240 on the moneyline. Penn State is +200 on the moneyline, and the over/under is 140 points. Texas’ implied team total is 73 points, while Penn State’s is 67.5, with -115 odds on either side for either team.
The odds to win March Madness are certainly higher for the Longhorns, partly because they could meet Kansas – who they are 2-1 against – in the Final Four. But they are a complete team with great college basketball players at guard and forward to give them plenty of depth.
Texas is 30th in scoring 78.8 points per game and 43rd at making 47.1% of field goal attempts. It is 168th in making 34.5% of 3-point shots and 56th in making 74.9% of free throw attempts. Defensively, the Longhorns are 138th in allowing 68.7 points per game, 114th in holding teams to 42.7% on field goal attempts, and 146th in allowing 33.3% on 3-point shots.
Penn State’s Strategy
Penn State is a great 3-point shooting team, ranking 12th in making 38.9% per game. The Nittany Lions are perimeter-centric and will be outmanned in the paint. But they are 60th in making 46.7% of field goal attempts and 163rd in scoring 72.4 points per game.
Defensively, they allow 68.2 points per game, which is 126th, 43.4% on field goal attempts (153rd), and 34.7% on 3-point shots (239th).
They don’t have the best odds to win March Madness, but there is no denying the run the Nittany Lions have been on. They believe three points are greater than two, so their offensive philosophy gives them a shot no matter what the score is.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Texas Longhorns Betting Prediction
This will be an exciting game between a pair of NCAA basketball teams who embrace their identities and have played really well. Who matches up on Jalen Pickett will be fascinating, and if the Longhorns can get production from their bigs against a smaller lineup.
The early NCAAB picks show 53% of public bets are on the Longhorns, while another 56% are on the over. Texas is a tournament favorite because it ranks 17th in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted offensive efficiency and 11th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Every team since 2002 to win the national title has been top 40 and top 25, respectively, in those two stat categories.
Betting on this event:
- Here is our Penn State vs Texas prediction: Texas 71, Penn State 68
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