The Nittany Lions beat the Hawkeyes by ten points at home earlier this month, as PSU took advantage of Iowa's poor perimeter defense (308th in opponent 3PT%). The Hawkeyes were also careless with the basketball, turning it over 18 times. While they "got theirs" in the paint (46 points), the Nittany Lions' three-point defense (34th in opponent 3PT%) showed up to play, holding Iowa to 26.7 percent shooting.

I'm projecting the Lions will keep the margin of defeat to five or fewer points on Tuesday, covering as 7.5-point road dogs. Iowa's defense has been sub-par all season (162nd in adjusted defensive efficiency), and Penn State's offense came back to life in its last two games, leading it to wins over Illinois and Indiana. The Nittany Lions scored 173 combined points on 50.0 percent shooting in those two games, knocking down 17 three-balls. They were locked in at the charity stripe (26-for-30) against the Hoosiers, as well.

In a battle between high-tempo teams, the Nittany Lions are well-equipped to keep pace with the defensively-challenged Hawkeyes.