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The Wisconsin Badgers take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Wisconsin Ohio State prediction and pick. Find how to watch Wisconsin Ohio State.
The Wisconsin Badgers are 3-0 in the Big Ten. They have begun to create real excitement in Madison. Some are saying this is the best Wisconsin basketball team since the 2014 and 2015 groups which both went to the Final Four, the latter of which went to the national championship game before losing to Grayson Allen and the rest of the Duke Blue Devils.
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard has dealt with difficult times in recent seasons. The Wisconsin offense has sputtered and the team's lack of elite, high-end talent has shown up to a noticeable degree. This season, Wisconsin has been able to score more consistently and become more competitive with its opponents on the perimeter. In addition to their 3-0 Big Ten record, they also own a win over Marquette, the defending Big East Conference champion and a Final Four contender. The pieces seem to be coming together for a team which might be ready to put previous frustrations into the rearview mirror.
Ohio State, like Wisconsin, has only three losses so far this season. The Buckeyes, however, are 2-2 in the Big Ten, well behind the Badgers in the Big Ten race. They blew a large lead in a loss to Penn State and have recently struggled to hold leads in second halves of games. They did not deal well with the road environment in Indiana at Assembly Hall in a discouraging defeat. Head coach Chris Holtmann needs to find a way to stabilize his team when it enters the last 10 to 15 minutes of a game with a modest-size lead. We aren't sure if Ohio State will even have the chance to nurse a seven- or eight-point lead in this game, of course, given how well Wisconsin is playing right now.
Here are the Wisconsin-Ohio State College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Wisconsin-Ohio State Odds
Wisconsin Badgers: +2.5 (-115)
Ohio State Buckeyes: -2.5 (-105)
Over: 137.5 (-110)
Under: 137.5 (-110)
How To Watch Wisconsin vs Ohio State
Time: 8:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm PT
Article Continues Below
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Wisconsin Could Cover the Spread
The Badgers are in a groove. They're unbeaten in the Big Ten while Ohio State has two Big Ten losses. Wisconsin has been sharp and confident in close games while Ohio State has been noticeably more frail. The Badgers have become a good, consistent team after some early-season hiccups. Ohio State started its season better than Wisconsin did, but the Badgers have unquestionably been superior the past few weeks. Based on current form and current confidence, you would have to lean to Wisconsin in this matchup. Greg Gard has found a way to connect to his team at a level Ohio State's Chris Holtmann has been unable to match.
Why Ohio State Could Cover the Spread
The Buckeyes trail Wisconsin by multiple games in the Big Ten, but this is a long and winding and twisting conference season. There are bound to be highs and lows and plot twists of all kinds. Bettors know that a lot of games snap winning and losing streaks. It is often wise to bet on a team which has lost a few games, because the odds of that team continuing to lose are low. The odds of the opposing team continuing to win without an interruption or stumble are also low. That's what it feels like in this game. Wisconsin is bound to fall on some hard times. Ohio State is bound to find a better period of play in the Big Ten. This is a “course correction” game, favoring Ohio State.
Final Wisconsin-Ohio State Prediction & Pick
This game feels like a coin flip, which makes it a game you should stay away from.
Final Wisconsin-Ohio State Prediction & Pick: Wisconsin +2.5
