Illinois vs Penn State College Basketball Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Jan. 3

The Illinois Fighting Illini (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) will try to extend a three-game road win streak when they take on the Penn State Nittany Lions (9-4, 0-2 Big Ten) on January 3, 2026 at The Palestra.

Before you place your bet on this matchup at FanDuel Sportsbook, here are the NCAA basketball odds and spreads you need to know.

Illinois vs. Penn State Game Info and Odds

• Game day: Saturday, January 3, 2026
• Game time: 7 p.m. ET
• TV channel: Big Ten Network
• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Arena: The Palestra

Illinois vs. Penn State Picks and Prediction

All college basketball win probability predictions and picks are according to numberFire.
Prediction: Illinois win (78.7%)

See the betting trends and insights below before placing a bet on Saturday's Illinois-Penn State spread (Illinois -15.5) or over/under (156.5 points).

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Illinois vs. Penn State: ATS Betting Stats and Trends

• Illinois has won eight games against the spread this season, while failing to cover five times.
• Penn State has compiled a 4-9-0 ATS record so far this season.
• In home games last season, the Fighting Illini had a better record against the spread (10-7-0) compared to their ATS record on the road (5-5-0).
• In 2024-25 against the spread, the Nittany Lions had a lower winning percentage at home (.471, 8-9-0 record) than on the road (.600, 6-4-0).

Illinois vs. Penn State: Moneyline Betting Stats

• Illinois has won in five of the seven contests it has been named as the moneyline favorite in this year.
• The Fighting Illini have been listed as a favorite of -1695 or more on two occasions this season and won both games.
• Penn State has been the underdog on the moneyline a total of three times this season, and it has lost all of those games.
• The Nittany Lions have yet to play a game with moneyline odds of +890 or longer.
• Illinois has an implied victory probability of 94.4% according to the moneyline set by sportsbooks for this matchup.

Illinois vs. Penn State Head-to-Head Comparison

• Offensively, Illinois was the ninth-best team in college basketball (83.6 points per game) last year. Defensively, it was 263rd (74.8 points conceded per game).
• Last year, Illinois was best in college basketball in rebounds (39.7 per game) and 104th in rebounds conceded (30.1).
• Illinois was 83rd in the country in assists (14.9 per game) last season.
• Illinois was 215th in the nation in turnovers per game (11.4) and second-worst in turnovers forced (8.5) last season.
• Last year Penn State posted 79.1 points per game (54th-ranked in college basketball) and ceded 73.2 points per contest (213th-ranked).
• Penn State ranked 261st in the nation with 30.7 boards per game. Meanwhile, it ranked 129th with 30.4 rebounds allowed per contest.
• Last year Penn State ranked 39th in college basketball in assists, dishing out 16 per game.
• Penn State averaged 12 turnovers per game (259th-ranked in college basketball) this year, while forcing 13.2 turnovers per contest (46th-ranked).

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