Purdue vs. Ohio State prediction, odds, pick, how to watch Men's College Basketball game - 2/18/2024

We're set for our next College Basketball betting prediction and pick as we head to the Big Ten Conference for a high-stakes rivalry tilt. The No. 2 Purdue Boilermakers (23-2, 12-2 Big Ten) will visit Columbus to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes (14-11, 4-10 Big Ten). Check out our College Basketball odds series for our Purdue-Ohio State prediction and pick.

The Purdue Boilermakers retain their ranking at the No. 2 team in the country and they continue to lead the Big Ten Conference. They only have one loss over their last 17 games and have won nine-straight heading into this game. This will be their first game against Ohio State as they look to hold their one-seed ahead of the tournament.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are currently 13th in the Big Ten and it looks like they won't be making the NCAA Tournament this year. They've really struggled against Big Ten opposition and haven't looked competitive against ranked opposition. They're just 2-8 in their last 10 games and it'll take a massive effort for them to get the upset here.

Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of DraftKings. 

College Basketball Odds: Purdue-Ohio State Odds

Purdue: -8 (-110)

Ohio State: +8 (-110)

Over: 145 (-110)

Under: 145 (-110)

How to Watch Purdue vs. Ohio State

Time: 1:00 p.m. ET/ 10:00 a.m. PT

TV: CBS

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why Purdue Will Cover The Spread/Win

Purdue is rolling right along in the Big Ten and they recently got through tough tests in back-to-back games against Northwestern and No. 6 Wisconsin. It didn't faze the Boilermakers, however, as they continue to look like the most complete team in college basketball. Zach Edey is continuing his monster year with 23.3 PPG on an insane 61.3% from the field this season. While they look every bit of a championship team once again this year, they'll have to get over some mental obstacles and forget their recent early-exits from the tournament.

Purdue should be able to win this game if they keep it business as usual – feed the ball to Edey inside and let him draw fouls on the defense. Purdue is ranked eighth in the country in assists per game and they do a great job of swinging the ball around the perimeters. Their three-point shooting has struggled lately, but they bounced back nicely going 48% in their last game against Minnesota. Look for them to play a sound, fundamental game as they avoid the upset on the road.

Why Ohio State Will Cover The Spread/Win

Ohio State is seeing a bad stretch at 1-6 over their last seven games and they haven't been able to do much to dig themselves out of this hole. As the season comes to a close, competition only gets more difficult and it's clear the Buckeyes have lagged behind the rest of the Big Ten this year. Their last win over Maryland was a bright spot as they outlasted the Terrapins in double-overtime and had guard Bruce Thornton will them to a victory with his last-minute layup. The stars will have to align perfectly for the Buckeyes, but it'll take a similar effort at home to knock off the Boilermakers.

While Ohio State is winless on the road this year, they actually have a much better record in their home building at 9-4. Still, they're just 9-15 ATS on the season and they haven't done a great job covering as the underdogs for most of their games. Sophomore Center Felix Okpara will have the tough task of guarding the reigning Player of the Year in Edey, but he sizes up well at 6'11” and should be able to hold his own if he plays physically.

Final Purdue-Ohio State Prediction & Pick

With the way these two teams are playing at this point of the season, this game should be routine for the Purdue Boilermakers as they try to hang on to their No. 1 seeding ahead of the tournament. Ohio State has just one Big Ten win over the last seven games and they haven't done a good job covering spread this season. The one thing the Buckeyes will have going for them is playing this game on their home floor.

Ultimately, we'll have to ride with Purdue to get the win here. This doesn't seem like an upset type of situation and Zach Edey poses a ton of mismatches against the Buckeyes' defense. Expect him to feast early as Purdue pulls away in the second half of this game. Given Ohio State's record ATS, let's roll with the Purdue Boilermakers to cover the spread.

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Final Purdue-Ohio State Prediction & Pick: Purdue Boilermakers -8 (-110)