NCAA March Madness: Longhorns vs. Penn State - Preview, How to Watch, Betting Odds
DES MOINES, IOWA - The No. 2 seed Texas Longhorns will look to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008 when they take on the No. 10 seed Penn State Nittany Lions at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday.
The two teams are meeting for the first time ever after both shot the lights out in their first games of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
In a 81-61 win over 15th-seeded Colgate on Thursday, the Longhorns tied their season-high with 13 made triples while guard Sir'Jabari Rice posted a game-high 23 points on 7 of 10 shooting from 3-point range.
And in the game right after, the Nittany Lions also hit 13 3s in a 76-59 win over the Texas A&M Aggies, as guard Andrew Funk lit up the nets with 27 points on 8 of 10 shooting from beyond the arc.
Penn State has proven to be one of the better 3-point shooting teams in the country this season, as the Nittany Lions are fifth in 3-point makes per game (10.5) and sixth in 3-point percentage (39 percent).
"They're a good team," Texas guard Marcus Carr said. "They shoot the ball well. They have a lot of guys who can knock down shots and some guys who can create
shots for others as well. We're locked in on our game plan and looking to execute."
The Nittany Lions returned the praise.
"Their guards are as good as any in the country," Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry said. "It starts with Tyrese Hunter and Marcus Carr and Timmy Allen, and when Sir'Jabari Rice comes off the bench he's just as explosive. So we will have our hands full defensively trying to slow these guys down."
Game Information: NCAA Tournament Round of 32 - No. 2 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions
Date/Time: Saturday, March 18 at 6:45 p.m CT
Where: Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines, Iowa)
Betting Via SI Sportsbook: Texas -5.5
Moneyline: Texas -250, Penn State +195
Over/Under: 139
TV/Streaming: CBS
Radio: Longhorn IMG Radio Network/104.9 The Horn (Austin Flagship)
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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