No. 6 NC State Wolfpack vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Thursday, 11/15/12, 5:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN2
Opening Point Spread: NC State -12
Current Betting Line: NC State -12.5
Opening Total: 136
Current Total: 138
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
NC State is playing in an in-season basketball tournament for the fifth time in the last six seasons, but have played those events in different locations each time. The Wolfpack picked up a 97-59 victory over the Miami (OH) Redhawks as 20-point home favorites last Friday, with six players scoring in double figures. “They’ve got a lot of confidence, they want to be a good team,” stated Wolfpack head coach Mark Gottfried. NC State is 11-3 ATS in neutral court games since 2010, something to consider when making your college basketball game picks in this event.
The Wolfpack will be playing a tournament outside of the continental United States for the ninth time in school history, which has led to a 16-7 record in those events. NC State has compiled a 36-21 all-time record against Big Ten Conference schools, but has failed to cover the spread in its last four opportunities in that situation. Point guard Lorenzo Brown is a player to watch on the perimeter, as he ranked second in the ACC in averaging 6.3 assists, while leading the way with 1.8 steals per game.
Penn State posted its eighth-straight season opening win with a 65-58 victory over Saint Francis last Friday, as it was led by a familiar face in the scoring column. Senior point guard Tim Frazier scored 20 or more points for the 19th time in his career, which isn’t surprising due to being the only Division I player to average at least 17 points and six assists last year. He led the nation in accounting for 58 percent of the team’s offense last year. Penn State is 8-12 ATS when the total is 130 to 139.5, which is a big reason why it’s important to monitor the college basketball betting lines.
The Nittany Lions return 70 percent of their shooting and 60 percent of their rebounding from last season, as they ranked first in the Big Ten in offensive rebounding, averaging 12.4 per game. Penn State fielded one of the nation’s most inexperienced squads last year with eight of 10 primary contributors in their first or second season at the Division I level.
Sports bettors will likely play the total in this affair, with the UNDER going 7-14 in the Nittany Lions’ last 21 games when the total is between 130 to 139.5.
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