Wisconsin vs. Penn State odds, prediction, time: 2026 college basketball picks for Jan. 22 from proven model

The Wisconsin Badgers will look to extend their winning streak to five games when they take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in a key Big Ten Conference matchup on Thursday night. Wisconsin is coming off a 96-87 win over Rutgers on Saturday, while Penn State dropped a 96-73 decision at Maryland on Sunday. The Badgers (13-5, 5-2 Big Ten), who are looking to reach 20 wins for the fifth consecutive season, are 2-2 on the road this season. The Nittany Lions (9-9, 0-7 Big Ten), who have lost five in a row, are 7-4 on their home floor.

Tip-off from Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa., is set for 7 p.m. ET. Wisconsin leads the all-time series 44-13, including a 19-9 edge in games played at State College. The Badgers are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Penn State vs. Wisconsin odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 158.5. Before making any Wisconsin vs. Penn State picks, check out the men's college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

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The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times and it enters Week 12 on a sizzling 10-1 run on its top-rated over/under college basketball picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its college basketball betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns. 

Now, the model has simulated Wisconsin vs. Penn State 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted men's college basketball picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several men's college basketball odds and men's college basketball betting lines for Penn State vs. Wisconsin:

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How to make Wisconsin vs. Penn State picks

SportsLine's model is going Over on the total (158.5 points). The Over has hit in each of the last three head-to-head meetings between the teams. The Over has hit in four of the last five Wisconsin games, and in two of the last three Penn State games.

The model projects the Badgers to have four players register 15.5 points or more, including John Blackwell's projected 20.4 points. The Nittany Lions, meanwhile, are projected to have three players score 10 or more points, led by Kayden Mingo, who is projected to score 15.2 points. The model projects a combined total of 161 points as the Over clears in over 50% of simulations. 

The model also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Penn State vs. Wisconsin, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Wisconsin vs. Penn State spread to back, all from the advanced model that has simulated this game 10,000 times, and find out.