The Northwestern Wildcats (16-7) visit the Ohio State Buckeyes (11-12) on Thursday night! Action tips off at 8:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a Northwestern-Ohio State prediction, pick, and how to watch.

Northwestern has lost two of their last three games and sits at 7-5 and tied for fifth place in the Big Ten. The Wildcats covered 57% of their games while 57% went under the projected point total. Ohio State has lost four straight games and dropped to 3-9 and 13th place in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes covered 35% of their games while 57% went over. This will be the second meeting of the season between the conference foes. Ohio State handled Northwestern at ease in earlier January, 73-57.

Here are the Northwestern-Ohio State college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: Northwestern-Ohio State Odds

Northwestern: +5.5 (-115)

Ohio State: -5.5 (-105)

Over: 135.5 (-115)

Under: 135.5 (-105)

How To Watch Northwestern vs. Ohio State

TV: FS1

Stream: Fox Sports Live

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Northwestern Could Cover The Spread

Northwestern put together a solid non-conference slate that saw them go 9-2. They notably took down Liberty and DePaul but dropped games to Auburn and Pitt. They've been solid thus far in conference play with notable wins over No. 18 Indiana and Michigan State. They fare well within the advanced ratings, ranking No. 57 in KenPom and No. 52 in NET. While the Wildcats have a perfect 9-0 record in Quad 3 and 4 matchups, they've gone just 7-7 against Quad 1 and 2 opponents. Nevertheless, Northwestern currently projects as a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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Northwestern is a defensive-minded team who allows just 62 PPG – the 17th-fewest in the country. The Wildcats do a great job defending inside the arc, allowing opponents to shoot just 44% on two-point attempts – the 12th-lowest mark in Division-1. Consequently, Northwestern blocks 8.5% of opponents' attempts which ranks as the 25th-highest mark. They are similarly skilled at picking up steals and forcing turnovers, doing so at the 36th-highest rate in the country.

Offensively, the Wildcats are led by a pair of senior guards in Boo Buie and Chase Audige. Buie leads the team with 16.1 PPG and 4.5 APG. Audige is right behind him, averaging 15.3 PPG. Although Buie struggled in their earlier loss to Ohio State, he is playing particularly well coming into tonight. Over his last nine games, Buie has eclipsed 20 points six times. As for Audige, he saw a good deal of success the last time they faced the Buckeyes, scoring 16 points in the loss. Additionally, he serves as their strongest defender and averages a Big Ten-leading 2.5 steals per game.

Why Ohio State Could Cover The Spread

Ohio State started the season strong and entered Big Ten play with an 8-3 record. They picked up big wins over Texas Tech and Cincinnati but did suffer losses to Duke, No. 25 San Diego State, and North Carolina. However, the wheels have completely fallen off in conference play. After starting 2-0, the Buckeyes have lost nine of their last ten games. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes still fare well within the advanced rankings as they sit at No. 34 in KenPom and No. 41 in NET. While they've gone just 5-11 in Quad 1 and 2 matches, they additionally have a critical Quad 4 loss. As a result, Ohio State does not currently project to make the NCAA Tournament.

Ohio State is a balanced team who features an especially strong offense. The Buckeyes average 75.6 PPG which ranks 61st in the country. They are a highly efficient outside shooting team who ranks 26th in three-point percentage at 38%. Their biggest strength on offense comes via second-chance points. The Buckeyes rank 41st in offensive rebound rate and average 10.4 offensive rebounds per game. Additionally, Ohio State does a great job taking care of the ball, turning it over at the 21st-lowest rate in the nation.

Ohio State is led by freshman phenom Brice Sensabaugh. The 6'6 wing averages a team-high 17.3 PPG while shooting a highly-efficient 50%. Sensabaugh is a lethal three-point shooter who averages two triples per game while shooting 47% from deep. Additionally, he is a strong rebounder who averages 5.6 RPG. While he is coming off a string of poor performances, the projected first-round pick should bounce back tonight after scoring 18 points in their earlier win over the Wildcats.

The X-factor for Ohio State tonight is big man Zed Key. The 6'8″ forward ranks third in the team in scoring with 11.6 PPG. His biggest contributions come on the glass, however, as he leads the team with 7.7 RPG. A physical force down low, Key additionally chips in 1.0 blocks per game.

Final Northwestern-Ohio State Prediction & Pick

Despite Ohio State dismantling Northwestern in their earlier meeting, I expect this one to remain close given how poor the Buckeyes have played of late.

Final Northwestern-Ohio State Prediction & Pick: Northwestern +5.5 (-115)