The Penn State Nittany Lions host the Wisconsin Badgers in college hoops action on Thursday night.
The Nittany Lions have gone 0-7 in Big Ten play, and my Wisconsin vs. Penn State predictions don't expect them to turn things around tonight.
Here are my best free college basketball picks for this conference clash on January 22.
Wisconsin vs Penn State prediction
Wisconsin vs Penn State best bet: Wisconsin -5.5 (-110)
The Penn State Nittany Lions have lost eight games in a row against high-major foes, with three of those defeats coming by 20+ points.
Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Badgers sit just outside the AP Top 25 and have won four straight. The biggest victory came in Ann Arbor, where the Badgers upset No. 3 Michigan as 18.5-point underdogs.
The Badgers are 59th in the country in adjusted tempo while ranking 34rd in adjusted offense. They launch threes at a high rate while taking care of the ball (22nd in TO rate) and shooting 57.1% inside the arc (44th).
PSU is 222nd in the country in adjusted defense — the worst rating among Power Conference schools. The Nittany Lions sit outside the Top 300 in opponent 2PT% (57%) and opponent 3PT% (37.4%), and won't be able to keep pace with Wisconsin's up-tempo attack.
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Wisconsin vs Penn State same-game parlay
Since we're betting on Wisconsin's offensive firepower to result in a cover, let's also back Nick Boyd, who leads the team with 19.9 ppg.
He's dropped 20+ points in four of his last five games and is fresh off a 32-point performance against Rutgers.
Wisconsin center Nolan Winter has grabbed at least eight boards in 12 of 18 games. He should control the glass against PSU, which ranks 281st in rebounding rate (47.7%), with that number dropping to 44.1% in conference play.
Wisconsin vs Penn State SGP
- Wisconsin -5.5
- Nick Boyd Over 19.5 points
- Nolan Winter Over 7.5 rebounds
Our beyond the arc SGP: Badgers blowout
Boyd is joined in the backcourt by John Blackwell, who has dropped 4+ dimes in his last four games and is averaging 6.0 apg over that span.
Wisconsin vs Penn State SGP
- Wisconsin -5.5
- Nick Boyd Over 19.5 points
- Nolan Winter Over 7.5 rebounds
- John Blackwell Over 2.5 assists
Wisconsin vs Penn State odds
- Spread: Wisconsin -5.5 | Penn State +5.5
- Moneyline: Wisconsin -245 | Penn State +200
- Over/Under: Over 159.5 | Under 159.5
Wisconsin vs Penn State betting trend to know
The Nittany Lions have covered the spread in just six of their last 18 home games (-7.20 Units / -36% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Wisconsin vs. Penn State.
How to watch Wisconsin vs Penn State
| Location | Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA |
| Date | Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | FS1 |
Wisconsin vs Penn State key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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