Indiana vs. Penn State prediction and odds for Wednesday, January 11 (Fade reeling Hoosiers)

The preseason Big Ten favorite, Indiana Hoosiers, who have dropped consecutive Big Ten games to start 2023 and three of four, including a home loss to Northwestern.

The Hoosiers head to Penn State to face a resurgent Nittany Lions team that has been potent on offense by protecting the ball and shooting lights out from beyond the arc. Can the Hoosiers get back on track despite their recent losing streak and now some key injuries to the roster?

Let’s check out the odds and make a play on this Big Ten showdown:

Indiana vs. Penn State odds, spread and total

Indiana vs. Penn State prediction and pick

Penn State has a clear offensive identity, and it could cause some issues for the Hoosiers defense. The Nittany Lions run their O through do-it-all ball handler, Jalen Pickett, who likes to operate from the mid-post and find open shooters on the perimeter.

With Race Thompson out with an injury for the Hoosiers, the team is going to be down their best option to defend Pickett’s play making. It’ll likely be Jordan Geronimo taking the assignment, but that’s going to leave the Hoosiers vulnerable on the perimeter. IU’s defense is centered around their ability to lock down the paint with big man Trayce Jackson-Davis patrolling the rim. However, PSU shoots three’s at the 14th highest rate and is hitting them at a 38% clip.

Indiana could have some success against a Penn State team that doesn’t pressure the ball very much, allowing the Hoosiers offense to swing the ball and get the ball to TJD on the block, but I can’t trust this team right now to go on the road and essentially win the game to cover this spread.

Penn State gave Purdue a run on a neutral site over the weekend before running out of gas in the second half, so this is a team that has held up nicely against talented teams. I think they put together two strong periods and get the win here against a team that is on the ropes.