Penn St. @ Illinois preview
State Farm Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 11, 2018 ) Penn St. 74, Illinois 52
Penn State looks to win back-to-back conference games for the first time this season when it visits Illinois on Saturday. The Nittany Lions mauled Nebraska 95-71 on Tuesday to earn their third win in five games after starting Big Ten play with 10 consecutive defeats, and have had some recent success against the Illini with four straight wins in the rivalry, including a pair of victories in Champaign by an average margin of 17.5 points.
"This is the team we've been expecting for a long time," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers told reporters. "We were getting better in late January but we just didn't get the results that we wanted." Illinois fell short in its upset bid of No. 23 Wisconsin on ??? Monday as it dropped a 64-58 decision against the Badgers to see its season-best four game-winning streak come to an end. Before the loss in Madison, the Illini had won three consecutive home games over opponents above them in the Big Ten standings. "I think we have arrived and I think we've proven that," Illinois coach Brad Underwood told reporters. "I believe in these guys and I sure as heck wouldn't want to play Illinois."
TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network
ABOUT PENN STATE (10-16, 3-12 Big Ten): Lamar Stevens poured in a season-high 29 points to go along with eight rebounds as the Nittany Lions reached 95 points in a non-overtime Big Ten game for the first time in program history. Rasir Bolton added 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field while Mike Watkins registered 10 points and six rebounds as Penn State shot 55.6 percent from the floor as a team. Josh Reaves filled up the stat sheet as he produced 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks against Nebraska to become the 36th player in the program to score 1,000 points.
ABOUT ILLINOIS (10-16, 6-9): Ayo Dosunmu, who is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week, scored 10 of his team-leading 13 points in the final six minutes to go along with three assists in the loss to Wisconsin. Aaron Jordan scored 12 points while Giorgi Bezhanshvili added 10 points and three blocks but committed five of the Illini's 13 turnovers as they fell to the Badgers for the 15th consecutive time. Trent Frazier was limited to eight points on 3-of-10 shooting after averaging 15.6 points in his previous three outings.
TIP-INS
1. Reaves leads the Big Ten in steals per game (2.5).
2. Stevens is averaging 22 points and nine rebounds over his last five games.
3. Dosunmu has scored in double figures in 12 of his 15 Big Ten outings.
PREDICTION: Illinois 84, Penn State 79