Teams looking to end long Sweet 16 droughts meet when the 10th-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions battle the second-seeded Texas Longhorns in a second round matchup in the Midwest Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket on Saturday. The Nittany Lions (23-13, 10-10 Big Ten), who tied for ninth in the Big Ten Conference standings, last advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2001. The Longhorns (27-8, 12-6 (Big 12), who finished second in the Big 12 standings before winning their conference tournament, last advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2008, the last time they were a No. 2 seed. This is Texas’ 36th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, while Penn State is making its 10th. This will be the first-ever meeting between the schools.
Tipoff from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, is set for 7:45 p.m. ET on CBS. The Longhorns are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Penn State vs. Texas odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 139. Before making any Texas vs. Penn State picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and March Madness betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division-I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the 2023 NCAA Tournament 79-53 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,300 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Penn State vs. Texas and just locked in its picks and March Madness predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Texas vs. Penn State:
- Penn State vs. Texas spread: Texas -5.5
- Penn State vs. Texas over/under: 139 points
- Penn State vs. Texas money line: Penn State +205, Texas -250
- PSU: The Nittany Lions are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games following an ATS win
- TEX: The Longhorns are 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall
- Penn State vs. Texas picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Texas can cover
Senior guard Marcus Carr, who has started all 35 games this season, is a big part of the Longhorns’ success. He is averaging 15.9 points, 4.1 assists, three rebounds and 1.7 steals in 33.7 minutes of action. He is coming off back-to-back 17-point performances, and has reached double-digit scoring in 31 games this year. Carr registered a season-high 41 points in a 97-72 win over Texas A&M-Commerce on Dec. 27. He has also scored 20 or more points in eight games.
Also helping power Texas is senior guard Sir’Jabari Rice. He is coming off a 23-point, six-rebound and three-assist effort in Thursday’s first-round win over Colgate. He also poured in 17 points in the Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship Game win over Kansas last Saturday. The New Mexico State transfer picked off where he left off last season and is averaging 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 35 games played, including three starts.
Why Penn State can cover
Senior guard Jalen Pickett is one of three Nittany Lions averaging double-digit scoring. He has reached double-figure scoring in each of the last six games, and is coming off a monster effort in Thursday’s first-round win over Texas A&M. In that game, he scored 19 points, dished out eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds. He has reached double-figure scoring in 33 games, including 13 with 20 or more points, two with 30 or more and one with over 40. For the season, Pickett is averaging 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 36 starts.
Senior guard Seth Lundy is another solid option for the Nittany Lions. He has scored 10 or more points in each of the last five games, including one double-double during that stretch. In a 79-76 Big Ten Conference Tournament quarterfinal win over Illinois, he finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. He finished the season with three double-doubles. In 35 games, all starts, he is averaging 14.3 points and 6.2 rebounds. He is connecting on 44.8% of his field goals, including 40.2% from 3-point range, and 80.6% from the free-throw line.
How to make Penn State vs. Texas picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 146 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in 60% of simulations. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Penn State vs. Texas? And which side of the spread cashes in 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Penn State vs. Texas spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned nearly $1,300 on its college basketball picks this season, and find out.
