The Mississippi State Bulldogs (25-11), 2.5-point underdogs, take on the Penn State Nittany Lions (24-13) in the NIT at Madison Square Garden. The games Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 135 points and it can be seen on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 27, 2018.
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Penn State Nittany Lions ATS Odds
Both teams were victorious in their last game. The Nittany Lions defeated the Marquette Golden Eagles 85-80, while the Bulldogs won big over the Louisville Cardinals 79-56.
Mississippi State dominated every stat category in the game. They had a turnover percentage of 13.5 (better than their season average of 16.6) and an offensive rebounding percentage of 42.9 (above their season average of 31.5). Louisville had marks of 19.9 and 30.8, respectively, for those same stats. The Nittany Lions, meanwhile, knocked down 17 of their 21 free throws (81.0 percent) and had an effective field goal percentage of 0.586 (above their season average of 0.519). Tony Carr had a solid performance for Penn State, finishing with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Quinndary Weatherspoon, meanwhile played a pivotal role for Mississippi State with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
Points could be at a premium in this matchup between two of the nations premier defenses. Penn State currently ranks 39th in defensive efficiency (98.7) and Mississippi State is 44th (98.8).
Games including the Bulldogs have gone under the total 54.8 percent of the time. Mississippi State comes into the game with records of 25-11 straight up (SU) and 16-14-1 against the spread (ATS).
Similarly to Mississippi State, Nittany Lions games have finished under the total 54.5 percent of the time. Additionally, Penn State owns records of 24-13 SU and 19-13-1 ATS.
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Penn State Nittany Lions ATS Pick
Free College Basketball Pick: SU Winner – Penn State, ATS Winner – Penn State, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- Mississippi State averages 5.4 blocks per game, which ranks eighth in the nation. Penn State ranks 188th in blocks allowed per game (3.8).
- The Nittany Lions rank 24th in three pointers allowed per game (18.8) while the Bulldogs rank 176th (22.4).
- Penn State ranks 48th in steals per game (7.3) while Mississippi State ranks 93rd (6.7).
Betting Trends:
- The Nittany Lions average margin of victory in their last five games has been 2.8, down from 7.6 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Bulldogs have scored an average of 72.4 points per game (1.4 below their season average) and allowed an average of 66.2 points per game (1.4 below their season average).
