Penn State vs. Illinois

Penn State has to travel to Chicago, Illinois, for this Big Ten Tournament tilt. Penn State is 11th in the 14-team conference defensively in field goal shooting allowed (43.3%) and 12th at defending the 3-pointer (34.6%). Penn State is 4-13 ATS after allowing 65 or fewer points in two consecutive contests. Illinois is third in the Big Ten in points scored, and second in rebounding, while the defense is sixth in points allowed (66.6 ppg) and fourth in field goal shooting allowed. Penn State won both regular-season meetings, but the Illini can turn the tables with its significant rebounding edge. Illinois has 6-9 senior Matthew Mayer (13 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and 6-10 junior Coleman Hawkins (9.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg) going up against a Penn State squad that was the second-worst in the Big Ten in rebounding. Play Illinois.