Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Picks and Prediction for Sunday, February 1, 2026
It’s a Big Ten contest on the hardwood in the Keystone State as the Minnesota Golden Gophers take on the Penn State Nittany Lions Sunday afternoon and we have you covered with our Minnesota vs. Penn State prediction. Minnesota fell 67-63 to Wisconsin on the road Wednesday night, covering the line as a 9.5-point underdog, in their previous contest. Penn State fell 94-73 on the road to Northwestern Thursday, failing to cover the line as a 7.5-point underdog, in their previous game. In the all-time series between the programs, the Golden Gophers own a 33-14 advantage, though Penn State took a 69-60 home win in the most recent matchup February 22, 2025. Read more about this Minnesota vs. Penn State prediction! Struggling with handicapping? Try our NCAAB Predictions!
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Minnesota Seeking to Earn Road Conference Win
Minnesota dropped their sixth straight game as they were downed on the road by Wisconsin in their previous contest Wednesday. The Golden Gophers dropped to 10-11 overall and stand 3-7 in Big Ten action on the year. Against Wisconsin, Minnesota started strong, leading 27-9 with 7:23 to play in the opening half and they owned a 35-17 advantage at intermission. The Golden Gophers fell apart in the second half, getting outscored 50-28, to wind up on the short end of the scoreboard. Minnesota shot 46% from the floor, including 11 of 27 from three-point range, and went six of 11 at the charity stripe in the contest. Bobby Durkin led the Golden Gophers with 20 points in the loss.
For the year, Minnesota is 292nd in the nation in scoring offense as they put up an average of 71.6 points per game. The Golden Gophers collect an average of 33.8 rebounds per contest while handing out 17.9 assists per game. Minnesota is 56th in the nation in scoring defense as they give up an average of 68.4 points per game. Cade Tyson leads the team in scoring with 20.1 points plus 5.5 rebounds per game. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (13.6 points, 6.9 rebounds), Langston Reynolds (10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists) and Isaac Asuma (10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists) are solid secondary options. Bobby Durkin, Chansey Willis Jr., Robert Valhola, Grayson Grove, Kai Shinholster and Nehemiah Turner have all seen solid minutes so far this season for Niko Medved. Minnesota shoots 45.2% from the field as a team on the year. The Golden Gophers drain an average of eight three-pointers a night while shooting 33.1% from beyond the arc as a team. Minnesota has been well below average at the charity stripe, cashing in 68.9% of their chances so far this season, leaving them 293rd in Division I.
Key Injury Report for Minnesota:
- Forward Robert Valhola (undisclosed) is out for the year.
- Guard Chansey Willis Jr. (foot) is out for the year.
- Forward Nehemiah Turner (undisclosed) is questionable.
- Guard/forward Cade Tyson (ankle) is questionable.
Nittany Lions Shoot to Roar at Home
Penn State dropped their eighth straight and their 11th in the last 12 games as they were clobbered at Northwestern Thursday night. The Nittany Lions fell to 9-12 overall and sit in the basement of the conference with a 0-10 mark in the Big Ten on the year. Against Northwestern, Penn State led multiple times in the contest but never by more than one point, the last at 24-23 with 9:24 to play in the first half. The Nittany Lions were down 45-40 at the half and never got closer than that the rest of the way. Penn State shot 49% from the floor, including six of 18 from beyond the arc, and allowed Northwestern to shoot a sizzling 60.3% from the floor in the contest. Kayden Mingo led the Nittany Lions with 15 points in the loss.
The Nittany Lions are putting up 76.4 points per game this season, which has them 187th in the nation in scoring offense. Penn State collects 30.2 rebounds per game (358th) while dishing out 13.5 assists (226th) a night. The Nittany Lions are average defensively, allowing 78.5 points per game, leaving them 300th in the nation in scoring defense. Kayden Mingo leads the team and is one of two players averaging in double figures with 14.5 points per game. Melih Tunca (8.9 points, 2.6 assists), Freddie Dilione V (13.4 points, 3.3 rebounds), Josh Reed (9.7 points) and Dominick Stewart each are solid secondary scorers. Ivan Juric, Eli Rice, Tibor Mirtic, Sasa Ciani and Mason Blackwood are all key rotation pieces for the Nittany Lions. Penn State shoots 46.9% from the field as a team this season, putting them 90th in Division I. The Nittany Lions sink 7.7 triples a night (202nd in Division I) while shooting 33.3% from beyond the arc this season. Penn State is above average at the free throw line as they hit 74.7% as a team, which is 91st in the nation.
Key Injury Report for Penn State:
- Forward Tibor Mirtic (leg) is questionable.
- Forward Sasa Ciani (undisclosed) is questionable.
Minnesota vs. Penn State Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sean Higgs | +2,130.00 |
| 2 |  Joe Duffy | +1,129.00 |
| 3 |  Rob Vinciletti | +804.00 |
| 4 |  Ben Burns | +648.00 |
| 5 |  Ross Benjamin | +510.00 |
Minnesota vs. Penn State Spread Pick
- Minnesota (4 units)
Something has to give here as both teams come in lugging along lengthy skids with Minnesota dropping six straight while Penn State has dropped eight consecutive contests. These teams have opposite problems when it comes to winning games. The Golden Gophers have their share of issues on the offensive end of the floor but they square off with a Nittany Lions squad that has serious issues slowing down opposing teams. Tyson’s status is a big factor here as if he can’t go, that takes the leading scorer out of Minnesota’s lineup. Still, Penn State is 0-10 in the Big Ten this season and 0-12 in games that are Quad I, II or III this season. Four of their last five losses have come by at least 11 points with three of them by at least 21. Minnesota isn’t great offensively or on the road (1-5) but Penn State’s leaky defense proves to be a cure for what ails them. Take the Golden Gophers in this contest.
Minnesota vs. Penn State Over/Under Pick
- Under (4 units)
Minnesota comes into this game having stayed under the total in 14 of their 21 games. The Golden Gophers are 59th in defensive efficiency, 111th in field goal percentage defense (42.6%), 100th in two-point field goal percentage defense (48.8%) but stand just 293rd in free throw shooting. Minnesota is a slow-paced team as they are 350th in tempo with 63.2 possessions per night. Penn State is 79th in offensive efficiency, 114th in effective field goal percentage (53.5%), 20th in turnover per game (9.6), 90th in field goal percentage, 73rd in two-point shooting (55.9%) and 226th in three-point shooting. The Nittany Lions are 188th in tempo with 67.3 possessions a night. Penn State has seen the over post a 12-9 mark on the year. Look for Minnesota to grind the clock and keep possessions at a minimum. Take the under here, even with Penn State’s defensive issues.
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