Ohio State is near the bottom of the Big Ten for the second straight season. Iowa is in unfamiliar territory as they sit tenth in the conference. It is time to continue our men's college basketball odds series with an Ohio State-Iowa prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
Ohio State wishes for their Big Ten schedule to end, as they have dropped six of their last seven games in the conference. The Buckeyes sit in 12th place, one game behind Iowa, with a 3-7 record. Ohio State's only reason for happiness this basketball season is that their rival Michigan sits dead last in the conference standings. The Buckeyes hope to finally secure a win on the road, sitting at 0-5 on the season away from Columbus.
Iowa has had more success than the Buckeyes, winning four of their last eight Big Ten games. However, Iowa kicked off their Big Ten schedule with two losses back at the beginning of December, so they still are near the bottom of the conference. The Hawkeyes' record is shocking, considering they have three 15-point scorers in their lineup. Tony Perkins, Ben Krikke, and Payton Sandfort all average 15 per game.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Ohio State-Iowa Odds
Ohio State: +5.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +188
Iowa: -5.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -230
Over: 156.5 (-115)
Under: 156.5 (-105)
How to Watch Ohio State vs. Iowa
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Ohio State Will Cover The Spread/Win
Ohio State has an opportunity to keep this game close due to Iowa's disappointing defensive output this season. Ohio State is an average offensive team, ranking 166th with 75.1 points per game. They sit in the mid-100's in most shooting categories and maintain 70 points per game against conference opponents. Iowa ranks 312th in scoring defense, allowing 77.2 points per game. They struggle at limiting opponents' shotmaking abilities, allowing them to shoot 44.6% from the floor. Iowa has been unable to stop anyone's offense this season, and it's likely to continue here.
Why Iowa Will Cover The Spread/Win
Ohio State is 1-9 against the spread versus the Big Ten this season despite their 3-7 record. Iowa isn't much better than Ohio State in that department, but they have covered four of the last eight Big Ten games.
Iowa's offense ranks better than Ohio State's defense in almost every statistical category. The Hawkeyes are 16th in scoring offense, averaging 84.4 points per game. They limit turnovers and shoot efficiently, hitting 47.4% from the field. Ohio State has an average defense, ranking 110th in scoring defense, allowing 69.1 points per game. However, that number increases to 76.4 points per game when playing against Big Ten opponents, a troubling number with Iowa's lethal offense.
Final Ohio State-Iowa Prediction & Pick
These two teams are so abysmal against the spread that it's hard to pick a side. Ohio State is 1-9 against the Big Ten and 8-13 overall against the spread. Iowa is 4-6 against the Big Ten and 9-12 overall against the spread. An intriguing pick in this game is the over, as both teams allow plenty of points and can score. Ohio State has seen the over hit in three consecutive games, while Iowa hit the over in seven of their last ten.
Ohio State is an average team overall, ranking in the mid-100s in statistical categories on both sides of the ball. However, their scoring increases from 69.1 points per game to 76.4 against the Big Ten. Iowa's offense is one of the best units in the country, ranking 16th in points per game, and will surely put up a crooked number against the Buckeyes. While Iowa's offense will thrive, their defense is a point of concern. They are one of the worst units in the country on the other side of the ball and could allow as many points as they score.
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Final Ohio State-Iowa Prediction & Pick: Over 156.5 (-115)
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