Teams off to perfect starts to the season battle in the first round of the 2022 Charleston Classic on Thursday morning when the Furman Paladins face the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Paladins (2-0) are making their first-ever appearance in the tournament. The Nittany Lions (3-0) are playing in the Classic for the third time in the last 13 years. Penn State also competed in the event in 2009 and 2014. This will be the schools’ first meeting since Penn State earned a 70-49 win over Furman on Nov. 28, 2010, in University Park, Pa.
The game from TD Arena in Charleston, S.C., tips off at 11:30 a.m. ET. Furman averages 90 points per game, 26th-best in the nation, while Penn State averages 83.7, 72nd-best. The Nittany Lions are 2-point favorites in the latest Furman vs. Penn State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 144. Before making any Penn State vs. Furman picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past six years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread.
Now, the model has set its sights on Penn State vs. Furman and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Furman vs. Penn State:
- Penn State vs. Furman spread: Penn State -2
- Penn State vs. Furman over/under: 144 points
- Penn State vs. Furman money line: Penn State -130, Furman +110
- FUR: The Paladins are 22-4 against the spread in their last 26 Thursday games
- PSU: The Nittany Lions are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games following a straight-up win
- Penn State vs. Furman picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Furman Paladins
Why Penn State can cover
Andrew Funk, a fifth-year senior guard and transfer from Bucknell, has been productive for the Nittany Lions. He is averaging 12 points, three rebounds, 2.3 assists and one steal per game. In Monday’s win over Butler, Funk scored 11 points, grabbed two rebounds, made a steal and had an assist, including eight points in a three-minute, 40-second span that helped the Nittany Lions pull away down the stretch. At Bucknell, he was a three-year starter who averaged double-digit scoring in each of his final three seasons.
Senior guard Seth Lundy has been consistent, scoring 10 points in all three games, including a nine-rebound performance against Butler at the Gavitt Tipoff Games event. He is shooting 64.3% from the floor, including 54.5% from 3-point range. Lundy has started all of the Lions’ games the past two seasons and has 63 career starts in 89 games played. During that time, Lundy has averaged nine points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Why Furman can cover
The Paladins have three players scoring in double digits and two others averaging at least nine points per game. Senior guard Mike Bothwell leads the way, averaging 20.5 points on 64% shooting from the floor. He is also averaging four rebounds and 2.5 assists, and is an 87.5% free-throw shooter. Bothwell, who has been a mainstay in the Furman starting lineup the past three years, is coming off a 25-point, six-rebound effort in the win over Belmont.
Also leading the way is fifth-year senior Jalen Slawson. Slawson is averaging 17 points, 6.5 rebounds, three steals and 2.5 assists per game, and is connecting on 63.2% of his field goals and 83.3% of his free throws. Slawson has started in 85 of the team’s last 93 games, including all 34 games in 2021-22. Last season Slawson averaged 14.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.
How to make Furman vs. Penn State picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 149 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in more than 50% of simulations. You can see the picks here.
So who wins Penn State vs. Furman? And which side of the spread hits in more than 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.