Who's Playing

Penn State @ Minnesota

Current Records: Penn State 9-11; Minnesota 11-10

What to Know

After two games on the road, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are heading back home. The Golden Gophers and the Penn State Nittany Lions will face off in a Big Ten battle at 8:30 p.m. ET this past Saturday at Williams Arena. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.

The matchup between Minnesota and the Nebraska Cornhuskers this past Wednesday was not a total blowout, but with Minnesota falling 78-65 on the road, it was darn close to turning into one. Minnesota's defeat came about despite a quality game from forward Jamison Battle, who shot 5-for-9 from downtown and finished with a double-double on 21 points and ten boards. Battle hadn't helped his team much against the Iowa Hawkeyes last week, so this was a nice turnaround for him.

Meanwhile, Penn State was just a bucket shy of a win last Tuesday and fell 58-57 to the Michigan Wolverines. The loss was just more heartbreak for Penn State, who fell 62-58 when the teams previously met in December of 2020. Guard Sam Sessoms wasn't much of a difference maker for Penn State; Sessoms played for 29 minutes with 5-for-17 shooting.

Barring any buzzer beaters, the Golden Gophers are expected to win a tight contest. Their home court has been no bettor's paradise, though, as they've failed to beat the spread in eight of their 11 home games.

The losses put Minnesota at 11-10 and the Nittany Lions at 9-11. A pair of numbers to keep in mind before tip-off: Minnesota ranks seventh in college basketball when it comes to turnovers per game, with only 9.8 on average. Less enviably, Penn State is stumbling into the contest with the 358th fewest takeaways in college basketball, having accrued only 9.1 on average.

How To Watch

  • When: Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Williams Arena -- Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • TV: Big Ten Network
  • Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Ticket Cost: $10.00

Odds

The Golden Gophers are a slight 1-point favorite against the Nittany Lions, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 1-point spread, and stayed right there.

Over/Under: -110

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Series History

Minnesota have won five out of their last nine games against Penn State.

  • Mar 03, 2021 - Penn State 84 vs. Minnesota 65
  • Feb 08, 2020 - Penn State 83 vs. Minnesota 77
  • Jan 15, 2020 - Minnesota 75 vs. Penn State 69
  • Mar 14, 2019 - Minnesota 77 vs. Penn State 72
  • Jan 19, 2019 - Minnesota 65 vs. Penn State 64
  • Jan 15, 2018 - Minnesota 95 vs. Penn State 84
  • Feb 25, 2017 - Minnesota 81 vs. Penn State 71
  • Jan 14, 2017 - Penn State 52 vs. Minnesota 50
  • Jan 05, 2016 - Penn State 86 vs. Minnesota 77

Injury Report for Minnesota

  • Will Ramberg: Game-Time Decision (Hand)
  • Parker Fox: Game-Time Decision (Knee)
  • Isaiah Ihnen: Out for the Season (Knee)

Injury Report for Penn State

  • Greg Lee: Out (Lower Leg)