Drexel Dragons vs Penn State Nittany Lions Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Penn State vs Drexel NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Philadelphia.

Penn State vs Drexel Prediction

Looking to win big? The Nittany Lions and Dragons face off at 12:00 ET on ESPN+. The Dragons are hosting the game at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. Penn State is favored by -16.5 in this non-conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 147.5 points.

Penn State vs. Drexel Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Penn State Nittany Lions at Drexel Dragons
Where: Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds PENNST -16.5, PENNST -1857 | DREXEL +900 O/U 147.5

Nittany Lions Preview: Can the Nittany Lions Live Up to the Hype on the Road?

Penn State improved to 9-2 on the season with a dominant 99-51 win over Coppin State on Saturday. Playing at home, the Nittany Lions were -36.5 favorites and covered the spread comfortably. The total points for the game reached 150, surpassing the O/U line of 145.

Penn State took control early, leading 52-21 at halftime. They continued their strong play in the 2nd half, scoring 47 points while allowing just 30 from Coppin State.

Nittany Lions Offense Breakdown

Penn State's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 99 points on 56.7% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 65.7%, thanks in large part to their 81.8% shooting on two-point attempts (27/33). From beyond the arc, they hit 11 of 34 threes, shooting 32.4%.

Ace Baldwin Jr. dished out 16 assists, contributing to the team's total of 31. Nick Kern Jr. was perfect from the field, hitting all 4 of his shots, while Peter Oduro led the team with 15 points, shooting 77.8% (7/9). Puff Johnson added 8 rebounds to go along with his 12 points.

Nittany Lions Team Defense

Despite giving up 51 points, Penn State's defense struggled, allowing the opposition to shoot 56% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, with the other team hitting 81% of their two-point attempts, going 27/33.

From beyond the arc, Penn State's defense gave up 11 threes on 34 attempts, a 32% shooting rate. They also sent the other team to the line 16 times, where they converted 12 free throws for 75%. Penn State allowed 10 offensive rebounds.

Dragons Preview: Will the Drexel Defense Show Up at Home?

Drexel moved to 7-4 on the season with a 68-65 road win over Howard on Tuesday. The Dragons entered the game as slight -1 favorites and covered the spread with the victory.

Drexel led 36-34 at halftime and edged out Howard 32-31 in the second half. The game’s total points of 133 fell under the O/U line of 143.5.

Dragons Offense Breakdown

Drexel managed just 68 points in their last game, shooting 40.3% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 45.2%, but they excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 91.7% of their attempts.

Jason Drake led the way with 21 points, shooting 47.1% overall, though he struggled from three, hitting just 1 of 5 attempts. Yame Butler added 16 points, connecting on 3 of 7 from deep, while Blake Harper contributed 11 points and 9 rebounds, despite shooting just 23.5% from the floor.

Dragons Team Defense

Despite Drexel's defense holding their opponent to 65 points, the Dragons couldn't capitalize offensively. They shot 39% from the field, connecting on 25 of their 64 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Drexel hit 6 of 20 threes, shooting 30%. They were efficient from the free-throw line, making 9 of 10 attempts.

Nittany Lions vs Dragons Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last three road games, Penn State has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 76 points per game.
Through their last ten home contests, the Dragons offense has averaged 68 points per game while allowing an average of 67. Drexel posted an overall record of 6-4 while going 7-3 ATS.
Through their last three games as the underdog, the Dragons have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.
As the betting favorite, the Nittany Lions have an ATS record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 5-0.