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The Pitt Panthers take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in Philadelphia, PA. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Pitt is favored by 2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -134. The total is set at 153.5 points.
Here’s my Pitt vs. Penn State prediction and college basketball picks for November 8, 2026.
Pitt vs Penn State Prediction
Pick: Penn State +2.5
My Pitt vs Penn State best bet is on the Nittany Lions to cover the spread. Be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page and download the Action Network app for the latest picks and analysis.
Pitt vs Penn State Odds
| Pitt Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -102 | 153.5 -110o / -110u | -134 |
| Penn State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -120 | 153.5 -110o / -110u | +112 |
- Pitt vs Penn State spread: Pitt -2.5 (-102), Penn State +2.5 (-120)
- Pitt vs Penn State over/under: 153.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Pitt vs Penn State moneyline: Pitt -134, Penn State +112
Pitt vs Penn State College Basketball Preview
Pitt Basketball
It feels like a make-or-break season for Pittsburgh’s Jeff Capel.
Last year was a mess and Capel constructed this year's roster with a bunch of ACC castoffs and one potential freshman star. To me, that says, "let’s put together a bunch of talent and let’s see if it meshes."
I’m not kidding about the ACC nugget; four of the five starters are ACC transfers: Baye Ndongo (GA Tech), Naithan George (Syracuse), Akir Souare (Syracuse), Jonathan Powell (UNC), and even Jalil Bethea started his career at Miami.
The best of the bunch might be freshman forward Chase Foster, who scored 20+ points in both of the Panthers' first two games. Foster was a top-40 recruit, so this performance isn’t surprising. He should probably be a starter, though.
Ndongo has also been a standout for the Panthers. The 6-9 forward boasts averages of 17 ppg and 13 rpg through two games. He starts at the four but plays most of his minutes at the five, which could lead to foul issues against Penn State's Ivan Juric.
My issue is the Panthers' backcourt. George is a reliable floor general, but scoring isn’t his forte. He’s shooting below 40% from the field and just above 30% from 3 in his 3+ college seasons.
I view the keys to Pitt’s success to be Jonathan Powell, a career sub-40 percent shooter from the field and A’lahn Sumler, who averaged 18 ppg on 49% shooting at Charleston Southern.
Penn State Basketball
Penn State is one of the toughest high-major jobs in the country. Between a stronger commitment to football and a lack of NIL, Mike Rhoades has the deck stacked against him. However, I think he put together a better roster than people think.
Rhoades assembled one of the tallest rosters in CBB, ranking 16th in average height. Four of the five Penn State starters stand 6-7 or taller, including the aforementioned 7-footer Juric manning the middle.
Moreover, Penn State’s leading scorer is Roko Prkacin, who averages 20.5 ppg off the bench. Prkacin was once lauded as a potential NBA prospect, so he should end up being one of the Nittany Lions’ best players.
They boast a nice blend of shooting and size. Juric isn’t a shooter, but Josh Reed is 6-8 and shot 36% from 3 last year; Brant Byers is off to a tough start after shooting close to 40% from 3 at Miami (OH) and Thomas Allard is shooting 37% from deep this year.
I expect Penn State to have defensive struggles like it did last year. In the game against Chattanooga, the Nittany Lions gave up 1.25 ppp and the Mocs shot 62% on 2s.
On the flip side, if Penn State can luck into some missed-shot luck, it should have no problem putting away the rebound.
Pitt vs. Penn State Pick, Betting Analysis
Penn State is pretty underrated in the betting market in my view. Are they the most talented team in the Big Ten? No, but Rhoades has a clear style: using their size to win the shot-volume battle at a high tempo that should wear teams down.
On the contrary, what does Pitt want to be? It’s tough to tell with the guards. In games where the guards are hitting their shots, they’ll win some games. But it could get ugly when some of the inefficient scorers take poor shots.
I view these teams as close to even and think the line overvalues Pitt.
Pick: Penn State +2.5
