North Carolina Central Eagles vs Penn State Nittany Lions Prediction – 12/29/2025

The Penn State Nittany Lions will play host to the North Carolina Central Eagles in a non-conference college basketball matchup on Monday afternoon. This contest at the Bryce Jordan Center is a test of how Penn State responds after a rough stretch, with the Nittany Lions entering as heavy favorites against an Eagles team that has yet to win on the road this year. Before tip-off from Happy Valley, continue reading to get my North Carolina Central vs Penn State prediction for Monday’s game.

Our North Carolina Central vs Penn State Pick

Game Snapshot

• Matchup: North Carolina Central Eagles @ Penn State Nittany Lions
• Date & Time: Monday, December 29, 2025, 1:00 p.m. ET
• Venue: Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, Pennsylvania
• Broadcast: Big Ten Network

Key Storylines

Penn State enters this clash at 8-4 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play, coming off a tough holiday stretch where losses to Indiana and Pittsburgh have raised questions about their ability to compete with quality opponents. The Nittany Lions have a reliable offense that averages over 78 points per game and thrives on efficient shooting, but three straight losses to power four opponents has created the need for a bounce-back performance at home.

On the other side, North Carolina Central is 4-10 and is seeking its first win over Division I opponents this season. They come into this game hoping to end an eight-game road losing streak to start the season. Gage Lattimore leads the Eagles with 19.2 points per game and Khouri Carvey dominates the glass, though the team’s efficiency struggles and defensive gaps have been exposed against stronger competition.

Head-to-Head & Betting Trends

• Past meetings: This is the first-ever matchup between NC Central and Penn State.
• ATS records: Penn State is 4-8 against the spread so far this season. NC Central is 5-5 against the spread going into Monday’s play.
• Home/road splits: Penn State is 6-1 at home to start this season. NC Central is winless on the road at 0-8.
• Over/under trends: The under has cashed in 7 of the 10 games involving NC Central so far this year. Penn State is 6-6 on over/unders going into this matchup.

North Carolina Central vs Penn State Model Projection

Final Thoughts

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.