Ivy League Basketball Picks: Penn vs. Princeton Expert Analysis and Bet

Penn (17-11 SU 13-12 ATS) vs. Princeton (18-8 SU 11-12 ATS)
When: Saturday, March 4th: 12:00 ET
Where: Jadwin Gymnasium Princeton, NJ
TV: ESPN
Point Spread: Penn +3.5/Prin -3.5 (STOP wasting your money betting on games at -110 odds! Start saving big bucks that you can invest in more bets by making the switch to -105 odds at BAS Sportsbook!)
Total: 148.0
Money Line: Penn Quakers +147/Princeton Tigers -182

The Penn Quakers (17-11 SU, 13-12 ATS) will take on the Princeton Tigers (18-8 SU, 11-12 ATS) at Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton, NJ, on Saturday, March 4th at 12:00 ET. The game will be televised on ESPN. The current point spread has Princeton favored by 4 points, while the over/under total is posted at 148.0. If you’re looking to wager on the money line odds, Penn Quakers is listed at +147 underdogs, while the Princeton Tigers as listed as -182 favorites.

Line Movement

The Princeton Tigers hit the CBB board as a -4 favorite but have since fallen to -3.5/-3, bucking the public backing. The O/U line has always been on the move down, opening at 149.5 points and being bet down to 147.5/148, depending on which sportsbook you play at.

Last Game Info

Penn is coming off an 89-79 win over Dartmouth. However, they did not cover the spread in the game as -10.5 point favorites. The combined 168 points finished above the 146 total line.

Princeton will be looking for another win, as they most recently defeated Harvard by a score of 58-56. The Tigers also picked up an ATS victory as they were +1 point, underdogs. The combined 114 points did not surpass the 141.5 total line.

Current Form

Penn
Over their last five games, Penn has a straight-up record of 5-0 while going 4-1 vs. the spread. Over this stretch, the Quakers’ offense averages 83.4 points per game while hitting 51.8% of their shots from the field. On the defensive end of the floor, they have allowed opponents to shoot 43.5% from the field while allowing 74.0 points per contest.

Princeton
In their previous five contests, Princeton is 3-2 straight-up and 3-2 vs. the spread. In these five games, they have a scoring average of 76.6 points per game on a shooting percentage of 41.9%. Defensively, they allow teams to hit 40.5% of their shots while giving up 73.0 points per game.

Average Power Rating Of Opponents Played

This season, the combined power rating of Penn’s opponents comes in at 76. On the other side, Princeton’s combined opponent power rating sits at 73.3.

How Does Penn Fare On The Road?

For the season, the Quakers have played 13 road games and have a record of 6-7. In these contests, Penn is 7-4 vs. the spread. Offensively, they have averaged 69.9 points per game on a shooting percentage of 44.9%. On defense, the Quakers allow 72.2 points per contest when playing away from home. So far, opposing teams have a field goal percentage of 42.6% in these games.

How Does Princeton Fare At Home?

In their 14 games at home, Princeton has a 4-8 record vs. the spread while going 11-3 straight-up. On offense, the Tigers are shooting 45.8% on their home floor, leading to 79.7 points per game. Defensively, opponents are shooting 42.4% in these contests. The Princeton defense is allowing 70.2 points per game at home.

Offense vs. Defense

For the season, Penn is averaging 72.0 points per game (170th) while posting an overall field goal percentage of 44.6%. In today’s game, they will be matched up against a Princeton defense that has allowed an average of 68.6 points per contest. This year, opponents have hit 42.3% of their shots vs. Princeton. On the other side, the Princeton Tigers are coming into the game averaging 79.9 points per game on a shooting percentage of 48.8%. The Tigers will be facing a defensive unit allowing an average of 71.6 points per contest. So far, teams have hit 40.8% of their shots vs. the Quakers.

Three-Point Shooting

From beyond the arc, Penn has a shooting percentage of 33.5% while ranking 241st in attempts per game. The Quakers will be facing a Princeton defense that has a 3-point field goal shooting percentage allowed of 31.6%. Princeton enters the game having hit 38.8% of their looks from deep while averaging 10.97 made 3’s per game. On the other end, Penn has allowed opponents to hit 31.9% of their shots from beyond the arc.

Injuries Of Note

Penn

• No Reported Injuries

Princeton

• No Reported Injuries

Pick Against The Spread

Princeton won the earlier match-up getting a 72-60 blowing out Penn on their home court. This time around, they’re the host and laying just -3.5., so many of you may be hoping on the Tigers. That’s not where my money is going. Both teams need to make their 3-point defense a priority today if they want to get the W, and I believe they’ll be successful in keeping this game below the 148 line. Take the UNDER 148.