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The NCAA will showcase a great Big Ten matchup between Ohio State and Indiana. It's time to continue our college basketball odds series with an Ohio State-Indiana prediction and pick.
The Buckeyes made their mark on the season when they took down No. 1 Duke a few weeks ago. That moved them into the top-25 rankings where they now sit at No. 13. Ohio State also has a huge win over No. 22 Wisconsin and No. 21 Seton Hall. The downside of the season came early when they lost to Xavier after a 3-0 start. Two games later they lost to No. 23 Florida but that would be their final loss of the season to date. The Buckeyes are 9-2 and seem to be making a push as the top Big-10 team. No. 10 Michigan State currently leads the conference, as No. 3 Purdue just lost to Wisconsin. It's a competitive conference but one where Ohio State can win.
As for Indiana, they are putting together a solid season as well. They are 9-0 at home, but 0-3 on the road. The Hoosiers started the season 6-0 but lost to Syracuse 112-110 in the ACC/Big Ten battle. They are fresh off of a loss to Penn State as they get ready to host Ohio State, where they haven't lost at home. This matchup will feature two elite scorers on each side, so it will be exciting to see who comes out on top. Ohio State is ranked, but with a win for Indiana, we could see them jump into the rankings.
Here are the Ohio State-Indiana college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Ohio State-Indiana Odds
Ohio State: +3.5 (-110)
Indiana: -3.5 (-110)
Over: 137.5 (-105)
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Under: 137.5 (-115)
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Why Ohio State Could Cover The Spread
Ohio State comes into this matchup as the underdog. A big reason for that is the undefeated streak at home for Indiana. The Buckeyes will need to prove that the Hoosiers can be vulnerable at home. If Ohio State wants to cover this spread, then E.J Liddell will need to continue to play well. He's one of the top forwards in the nation and is averaging 19.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists for the Buckeyes. On the defensive end, he's averaging three blocks per game which is incredible considering he's only 6-foot-7. The junior is the team leader and all things run through him. It will be on him once again if the Buckeyes want to get past Indiana because they can compete with anyone. Indiana has better defensive numbers on the year, so Ohio State will need to show up offensively. OSU is 5-6 against the spread this season.
Why Indiana Could Cover The Spread
Indiana is 8-5 against the spread this year, so that is more encouraging for bettors thinking about the home team in this one. Both of these teams are pretty identical in terms of statistics this year. That makes it tough to choose who comes out on top. Indiana has the opportunity to enter the rankings with a win, so you know they will try and be on their game. The team is led by sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis who is on a tear this season. He's averaging 19.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks on the year. He and Liddell are similar players but Jackson-Davis is a few inches taller. He's shooting 60% from the field which really shows his value on the floor. Ohio State will desperately need to contain him if they want a chance, and the same goes for Indiana and containing Liddell.
Final Ohio State-Indiana Prediction & Pick
This is not an easy one to choose. Indiana is favored at home which is rightfully so. But I'm going to take Ohio State in this one. I think they have a better chance of covering this spread despite playing on the road. We've seen them take down No. 1 Duke, so this should be reasonable for them.
Final Ohio State-Indiana Prediction & Pick: Ohio State +3.5 (-110)
