by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Feb 16, 2023
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: The Palestra, Philadelphia, PA
Where to watch: ESPNEWS, ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Yale -2.5
FanDuel: Yale -2.5
BetMGM: NL
Caesars: Yale -2.5
Season record
Yale: 17-6 (7-3 Ivy League)
Penn: 14-11 (6-4 Ivy League)
February is here and the college basketball season is taking full shape. Conference races still to be determined, the top 25 completely in shambles for what seems like every week, and there's bound to be an upset what seems like every single week. But as the season continues to progress with what seems like exciting action every week, you know our champion handicappers continue to put the work in each and every week to not only make money for them, but to ensure you get money in your pocket. All you need to do is look at the last 30 days. Scott Rickenbach has reeled in a net profit of $14,000 with a 24-9-0 run on the college hardwood. Team Del Genio has killed it with a 13-1-0 run at +$11,900. Will Rogers (28-15-0) and Matt Fargo (40-27-0) have also seen five figures over the last 30 days with college basketball. Surely, you want to get on this winning as well. All you need to do is go to bigal.com, check out our Best Bets page and make sure you are following along on the action. March will be here before you know it! Take advantage of our best best plays and find out what our champion handicappers are doing at bigal.com!
Yale - Pennsylvania preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Yale: won 99-68 vs. Columbia
Pennsylvania: won 80-72 at Harvard
The Ivy League knows how to have fun, too, and this week's slate of Ivy League games could be some fun viewing if you're looking for something to watch on a Friday. This matchup will be no different between the leaders of the conference, the Yale Bulldogs, and one of the many teams chasing them, the Pennsylvania Quakers, in Philadelphia on Friday.
The Ivy League is always with some intrigue toward the end of the year, and with Yale atop the conference at 7-3, this should be no exception. The Bulldogs have three road games left, including this matchup at Penn, which could cause some intrigue near the top.
Yale is coming off a 99-68 win at home against Columbia last Saturday for their sixth straight win. Matt Knowling led the way with 22 points and seven rebounds as the Bulldogs shot 56.7 percent from the floor. And, not to mention, Yale turned it over just five times in that game.
Yale might be the most complete team in the conference, and it's not even close. They're averaging 76 points per game while only giving up 61.3. Even if you look at their last number of games, they've been dominant, winning by double digits in four straight games, twice by at least 20, once more by 19.
Knowling has been the catalyst of scoring for the Bulldogs all year long at 14.9 points per game, but he can't be the lone option. Keep scoring 99 points, that's going to help a lot. Yale is 4-0-1 against the spread in their last five and are 5-1 against the spread in their last six following an ATS win. That's been the kind of dominance they've shown during this winning streak.
But Yale isn't the only one on a winning streak. Penn has made things interesting with five straight wins since losing 70-63 at Yale on Jan. 21. The man behind this run that's been an offensive clinic in its own right is Jordan Dingle. The scorer has led Penn in scoring in seven straight games, eclipsing 20 points in each game, most recently a 25-point effort in the 80-72 win at Harvard on Saturday.
This game against Yale is a string of three straight at home that could change the tide of the Ivy League. The Quakers, who are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four against a winning team, can be fueled behind that home-court advantage. The way these two teams are shooting the ball, expect a lot of points to be scored.
The home team has covered in 9 of the last 11 meetings (9-1-1) with the favorite going 20-6-1 against the spread in the last 27. A lot of intrigue heading to that one.
Prediction
I wonder how Yale is going to make things happen with a lot of road basketball in the coming weeks. The 2.5 might not mean much to move the needle, but Penn being at home will determine Yale's season the rest of the way. Yale 82, Penn 80
The Ivy League knows how to have fun, too, and this week's slate of Ivy League games could be some fun viewing if you're looking for something to watch on a Friday. This matchup will be no different between the leaders of the conference, the Yale Bulldogs, and one of the many teams chasing them, the Pennsylvania Quakers, in Philadelphia on Friday.
The Ivy League is always with some intrigue toward the end of the year, and with Yale atop the conference at 7-3, this should be no exception. The Bulldogs have three road games left, including this matchup at Penn, which could cause some intrigue near the top.
Yale is coming off a 99-68 win at home against Columbia last Saturday for their sixth straight win. Matt Knowling led the way with 22 points and seven rebounds as the Bulldogs shot 56.7 percent from the floor. And, not to mention, Yale turned it over just five times in that game.
Yale might be the most complete team in the conference, and it's not even close. They're averaging 76 points per game while only giving up 61.3. Even if you look at their last number of games, they've been dominant, winning by double digits in four straight games, twice by at least 20, once more by 19.
Knowling has been the catalyst of scoring for the Bulldogs all year long at 14.9 points per game, but he can't be the lone option. Keep scoring 99 points, that's going to help a lot. Yale is 4-0-1 against the spread in their last five and are 5-1 against the spread in their last six following an ATS win. That's been the kind of dominance they've shown during this winning streak.
But Yale isn't the only one on a winning streak. Penn has made things interesting with five straight wins since losing 70-63 at Yale on Jan. 21. The man behind this run that's been an offensive clinic in its own right is Jordan Dingle. The scorer has led Penn in scoring in seven straight games, eclipsing 20 points in each game, most recently a 25-point effort in the 80-72 win at Harvard on Saturday.
This game against Yale is a string of three straight at home that could change the tide of the Ivy League. The Quakers, who are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four against a winning team, can be fueled behind that home-court advantage. The way these two teams are shooting the ball, expect a lot of points to be scored.
The home team has covered in 9 of the last 11 meetings (9-1-1) with the favorite going 20-6-1 against the spread in the last 27. A lot of intrigue heading to that one.
Prediction
I wonder how Yale is going to make things happen with a lot of road basketball in the coming weeks. The 2.5 might not mean much to move the needle, but Penn being at home will determine Yale's season the rest of the way. Yale 82, Penn 80
Betting trends
Yale is 47-23 ATS as a road favorite of 6 points or less since 1997.
Yale is 6-0 ATS off a conference win by 10 or more the last 3 seasons.
Yale is 10-2 ATS after covering the last game this season.
Penn is 14-5 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 the last 3 seasons.
Penn is 18-7 ATS after playing as an underdog last game the last 3 seasons.
Projected starting lineup
Yale:
PG: Bez Mbeng
SG: August Mahoney
SF: Matt Knowling
PF: John Poulakidas
C: E.J. Jarvis
Pennsylvania:
PG: Clark Slajchert
SG: Jordan Dingle
SF: Lucas Monroe
PF: Max Martz
C: Nick Spinoso
Statistical leaders
Yale:
Points: Matt Knowling -- 14.9
Rebounds: E.J. Jarvis -- 5.2
Assists: Bez Mbeng -- 3.2
Penn:
Points: Jordan Dingle -- 24.0
Rebounds: Lucas Monroe -- 5.8
Assists: Nick Spinoso -- 3.4
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Yale - Pennsylvania prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily college basketball projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
