Conference tournament play tipped off Wednesday in many of the top leagues around the country and today marks the second day of the action.

It’s the second round in the Big Ten and SEC brackets and the Big 12 is already on to the quarterfinals. SI Betting broke down three of the top games on the docket for today and offered a pick for each.

All six teams mentioned in the game breakdowns below are currently in SI’s projected field of 68. Get a feel for some of the teams you can expect to see next week in the Big Dance as they duke it out for their respective conference tournament titles.

Conference Tournament Betting Previews: Big Ten | SEC | Big 12

Big Ten Tournament Second Round:
No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions vs. No. 7 Illinois Fighting Illini

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
Spread: Penn State +2.5 (-110) | Illinois -2.5 (-110)|
Moneyline: PSU (+115) | ILL (-150)
Total: 140.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)

The Nittany Lions (19–12, 10–10 Big Ten) got the better of the Fighting Illini (20–11, 11–9 Big Ten) twice this season. Penn State has won five out of six heading into Chicago while Illinois has dropped two of its last three games.

The first meeting between the two teams was in December, a 74-59 win for the Nittany Lions in Champaign. Jalen Pickett, the team’s top scorer, scored 20 and Andrew Funk matched that output. Pickett more than doubled that performance when the Fighting Illini came to State College. He went off for 41 points and added eight assists. Terrence Shannon Jr.’s 20 points were not enough to offset Pickett’s big game and Illinois again lost by double digits, 93-81.

Penn State is liable to make teams pay from the perimeter. It ranks fourth in DI with 10.8 made threes per game and shoots a very respectable 38.9% from outside. Illinois has a stout defense, but it let up more than 90 points the last time these teams played. Pickett has also been sensational against the Fighting Illini this year. You can play it safe and take the Nittany Lions with the points, but I’d opt for a larger payout and back them on the moneyline.

And for what it’s worth, Penn State is currently on the bubble, so there’s added incentive to get up for this game and strengthen its case to the committee.

BET: Penn State Moneyline (+125)