The Penn State Nittany Lions (14-7, 5-5 Big 10) will try to break down one of the country’s top scoring defenses when they are on the road to face the No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers (21-1, 10-1 Big 10) on Wednesday.
Penn State dismantled the Michigan Wolverines 83-61 at Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday. Jalen Pickett had a standout performance with 25 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. The Nittany Lions fell to eighth in the Big Ten Conference.
Purdue won their eighth in a row on Sunday at Mackey Arena, beating the Michigan State Spartans 77-61. Zach Edey had 38 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists to lead the team. The Boilermakers are first in the Big Ten Conference.
The teams are meeting for the final time this season. Purdue will be aiming for a season sweep against Penn State after triumphing in the only earlier game 76-63 at Palestra on January 8, their fifth straight head-to-head victory. Edey led the Boilermakers with 30 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks.
Pickett had 26 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in the losing effort. The Nittany Lions have been led this season by Pickett, who is averaging 17.6 points per game. Pickett also is contributing 7.0 assists, fourth-most in the NCAA, and 8.0 rebounds per game. Edey (21.1 ppg) has been the primary provider of the Boilermakers’ offense.
Edey also has collected 12.4 rebounds per game, third-most in the country. Braden Smith has distributed 4.1 assists per game. The Boilermakers are holding opponents to 60.3 points per game, ranking as one of the best scoring defenses in the nation (10th).
The Nittany Lions are only 1-8 in their last 10 trips to Mackey Arena. Penn State is 6-4 in the last 10 games with an average margin of +3.3 (70.1-66.8). Purdue has a 9-1 record over the last 10, scoring 70.1 points per game on average while holding opponents to 58.9 (+11.2 margin).
NITTANY LIONS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Andrew Funk: 23.8 | 17.3 | +6.5
Camren Wynter: 8.8 | 12.9 | -4.1
Points per game:
Andrew Funk: 18.6 | 13.2 | +5.4
Camren Wynter: 4.4 | 8.1 | -3.7
Rebounds per game:
Seth Lundy: 4.2 | 5.7 | -1.5
BOILERMAKERS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Trey Kaufman-Renn: 4.2 | 8.0 | -3.8
Points per game:
Brandon Newman: 3.4 | 6.1 | -2.7
Rebounds per game:
Braden Smith: 3.0 | 4.6 | -1.6
Assists per game:
Ethan Morton: 1.6 | 2.7 | -1.5
SportsTips’ College Basketball Pick:
Purdue -9.5 (-115)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
