Don't look now, but we've got some premier Big Ten basketball action set to take place this evening as the Wisconsin Badgers take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Join us for our college basketball odds series where our Wisconsin-Ohio State prediction and pick will be revealed.
Wisconsin enters play fresh off of a tough back-to-back road losing stretch at the hands of Illinois and Indiana. Similarly to the Buckeyes, the Badgers are trending in a negative direction and will need to put together a solid 40 minutes of basketball to come away with a hard-fought win on the road.
Losers in seven of their last eight games, the Buckeyes are in desperate need of a win after some poor play has set them back in a big way. Ohio State was able to begin the Big Ten Conference slate by going 2-0, but have been able to find that type of success since. Can the Buckeyes turn it around to save their season or is it too late?
Here are the Wisconsin-Ohio State college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Wisconsin-Ohio State Odds
Wisconsin: +7.5 (-118)
Ohio State: -7.5 (-104)
Over: 132.5 (-105)
Under: 132.5 (-115)
How To Watch Wisconsin vs. Ohio State
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Fox Sports App
Time: 7:00 ET/4:00 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Wisconsin Could Cover The Spread
There is no doubt that it has been a tough time in Madison when it comes to the Wisconsin basketball team trying to find ways to play better as a collective unit, but the biggest thing that the Badgers need to try to control against the Buckeyes on Thursday will prove to be their ability to come away with better possessions on the offensive side of the floor. As it stands, Wisconsin has averaged only 53 points on the scoreboard over the course of their two most recent games as they will need to snap out of their shooting funk in order to have any chance to cover the spread.
While this is certainly easier said than done, be on the lookout for the senior leader on this squad in Tyler Wahl to be involved heavily from the jump. Towering at 6'9″, Wahl is Wisconsin's top scorer with 12.6 PPG on the season and possesses a slew of post moves down low that oftentimes opposing defenses have no answer for. Not to mention, but Wahl also has the ability to stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting.
Most importantly, the biggest difference-maker in this one for the Badgers will happen to come in the form of a strong, defensive mindset. Since Wisconsin sits second-to-last in points per game offensively, digging their heels in and staying committed to guarding their matchups the full length of their shot clock could prove to be vital for a team that is desperate for anything to go right later this evening.
Why Ohio State Could Cover The Spread
Believe it or not, but it wasn't too long ago that the Buckeyes were ranked among the Top 25 and well on their way to a March Madness birth. However, OSU has gone 4-7 since then and are now in serious danger of missing out on postseason play.
Fortunately, the Buckeyes will be squaring off with the Badgers in this conference showdown within the confines of their home arena where they have gone an impressive 8-2 on the season thus far.
Without a doubt, Ohio State does hold a hefty advantage at Value City Arena but keep in mind that the Buckeyes are also due eventually to put together a more consistent performance from beyond the perimeter. Alas, Ohio State did show improvement by shooting 40% from deep the last time out on the floor compared to a measly 16% in the game prior, but consistency will certainly be key in this statistic.
Whether or not Ohio State will be able to effectively shoot the long ball remains to be seen, but they have definitely showcased that they can score at will regardless. On paper, the Buckeyes are averaging 76 PPG on the season and should hold an advantage offensively against a Wisconsin defense that has been plagued with spotty play all year long. It will be important to keep your eyes peeled on the sensational freshman in Brice Sensabaugh, as the sturdy young forward is not only leading the Buckeyes in points per game, but he is also shooting an absurd 50% from the floor. If Sensabaugh comes out aggressive with a scoring state of mind, then the Badgers may be in for a long day.
Final Wisconsin-Ohio State Prediction & Pick
The biggest outlier in this one will come down to Wisconsin's inability to effectively shoot free throws down the stretch in crunch time. At the moment, the Badgers are one of the worst free-throw shooting squads in all of the Big Ten as this could end up coming back to bite them.
Final Wisconsin-Ohio State Prediction & Pick: Ohio State -7.5 (-104)
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