Penn State basketball at Oregon on BTN Saturday afternoon

Daniel Gallen and I do predictions for Penn State’s Big Ten games.

MARK BRENNAN

Oregon coach Dana Altman is on record as saying his offensively challenged Ducks must keep games in the 70s to even have a chance to win. Enter Penn State, which has cracked 80 points exactly once in Big Ten competition and is averaging 71.8 points against league foes.

This matchup is going to boil down to which version of the Nittany Lions shows up. Will it be the one that hustled and fought in holding Washington to less than a point per possession in Wednesday’s 63-60 road win? Or the disinterested group that allowed six Big Ten opponents to score more than 90 points and two of them to top 110?

I know what you’re thinking, that there is no way Penn State will let a team as bad as Oregon go off offensively. But remember that Maryland and Northwestern — teams with a combined B1G record of 5-22 — both eclipsed 90.

As well as the Nittany Lions played defense in Seattle, to me that has to be considered the exception rather than the rule. Oregon won’t score 90 but it won’t have to, as the first team to 77 is going to get the victory.

PREDICTION: Oregon 77, Penn State 73 (ORE -4, 150 total)

SEASON RECORD: 11-3 SU, 3-11 ATS, 7-7 O/U

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DANIEL GALLEN

A couple days ago, the most intriguing part of Saturday’s game between Penn State and Oregon was the halftime show from unicycle-riding, bowl-tossing acrobat Red Panda. But after the Nittany Lions survived down the stretch to nip Washington and win the first leg of their two-game road trip, suddenly the stakes look a little different in Eugene.

Penn State has a prime opportunity to break through for its first back-to-back wins since victories over Boston University, Sacred Heart and Campbell back in non-conference play. Those victories came on Nov. 25, Nov. 29 and Dec. 2, so it’s been a while for the Nittany Lions. The disappointing Ducks, the only remaining one-win team in the Big Ten, present a ripe opportunity to pick off.

It won’t be easy, given that Dana Altman has raised Oregon’s talent level in recent years, and the Ducks typically profile as an NCAA Tournament team that can make some noise if things go right. That hasn’t been the case this season, and while Oregon got a reinforcement with the return of big man Nate Bittle from an injury absence, it hasn’t been enough to break a 10-game losing streak.

Mike Rhoades has pushed the correct buttons with Penn State in recent weeks, and the Nittany Lions have been able to be very competitive on certain occasions. After getting another victory Wednesday, Penn State will be able to carry that over to Matthew Knight Arena on Saturday to secure its third win of Big Ten play.

PREDICTION: Penn State 75, Oregon 69  (PSU -6, 144 total)

SEASON RECORD: 12-2 SU, 6-8 ATS, 8-6 O/U

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