Subscribe
Follow Us
The Minnesota Golden Gophers take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Minnesota Ohio State prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Minnesota Ohio State.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are going through a very tough time right now. They are 0-4 in the Big Ten Conference and are 6-8 through their first 14 games. While Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a rising star in the NFL coaching world, Minnesota basketball coach Ben Johnson is squarely in the middle of a rebuild in his second season on the job. He doesn't have many pieces to work with and has to start over with the Golden Gophers. He has to make inroads on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal, and until he gets reinforcements, he is stuck with a very limited team which just can't get over the hump. Minnesota has a losing record, which speaks for itself, but beyond the wins and losses, it is worth noting that even the victories don't come easily. Minnesota had to work hard to barely fend off Chicago State in December. The Golden Gophers were not able to win by an especially large margin in some of their other wins. Their effort level will have to be off the charts in order to secure a Big Ten win this season, especially when they go on the road.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Minnesota-Ohio State College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Minnesota-Ohio State Odds
Minnesota Golden Gophers: +14.5 (-102)
Ohio State Buckeyes: -14.5 (-120)
Over: 136.5 (-106)
Under: 136.5 (-114)
How To Watch Minnesota vs. Ohio State
TV: Fox Sports 1
Article Continues Below
Stream: Fox Sports app
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET, 3:30 p.m. PT
*Watch Minnesota-Ohio State LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why Minnesota Could Cover the Spread
The Golden Gophers are not a good team. Yet, they do play hard and they do compete vigorously. They might not have the talent, but the passion is certainly there, and that is something Ben Johnson deserves credit for as the Gophers' coach. Minnesota lost by only three points at Wisconsin after trailing by a much larger margin earlier in the game. Minnesota took Nebraska to overtime before falling to the Huskers, 81-79. Minnesota is a bottom-rung team in the Big Ten, but that's not the same as being a pure punching bag for every opponent. That's not quite true. Minnesota is playing close games within the conference but just isn't making the one or two extra plays it takes to actually win. The Gophers have a very realistic chance of keeping this game close and thereby covering the spread.
Why Ohio State Could Cover the Spread
The Buckeyes are 2-2 in the Big Ten, but the one game they played against a clearly inferior team was a game they dominated. Purdue is better than Ohio State, and the Buckeyes lost to the Boilermakers by only two points. Maryland is a relative equal of Ohio State, and the Terrapins beat the Buckeyes in College Park, a tough road assignment for OSU. However, when Ohio State played an inferior Northwestern team on the road, the Buckeyes won by 16 points, 73-57. Minnesota is the worst Big Ten team Ohio State has faced and will face this season. The Buckeyes might lose or play close games against the Big Ten's better teams, but against the worst teams in the conference, Ohio State can deliver a blowout.
Final Minnesota-Ohio State Prediction & Pick
Minnesota just isn't very good. If Ohio State plays anywhere close to its capabilities, the Buckeyes should win by close to 20 points.
Final Minnesota-Ohio State Prediction & Pick: Ohio State -14.5
