A pair of red hot Big Ten Conference teams meet when the Indiana Hoosiers take on the fourth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in a key matchup on Saturday. The Hoosiers (11-8), who are tied with Rutgers for seventh place in the Big Ten at 6-6, have won two in a row. The Buckeyes (16-4), who are third in the conference at 10-4, have a five-game winning streak. Indiana is coming off a 79-76 double-overtime victory at Northwestern on Wednesday, while Ohio State defeated Maryland 73-65 on Monday.
Tip-off from Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, is set for noon ET. Indiana leads the all-time series 105-81, but Ohio State holds a 53-36 edge in games played at Columbus. The Buckeyes are 6.5-point favorites in the latest Indiana vs. Ohio State odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 139.5. Before making any Ohio State vs. Indiana picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $2,400 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Ohio State vs. Indiana. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Indiana vs. Ohio State:
- Indiana vs. Ohio State spread: Ohio State -6.5
- Indiana vs. Ohio State over-under: 139.5 points
- IU: The Hoosiers have a plus-4.1 scoring margin over opponents this season
- OSU: Since the 2013 Big Ten season, Ohio State has been ranked among the Top 5 nationally 16 times
Why Ohio State can cover
Sophomore forward E.J. Liddell continues to help carry the Buckeyes' offense and is leading the team in scoring (14.9 points per game) and rebounding (6.8). He is also averaging 1.3 blocks, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals per game. He had a six-game streak of double-digit scoring snapped against Maryland on Monday. He has scored in double figures in 14 of 18 games, including one double-double. He scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds at Notre Dame on Dec. 8. He also poured in 26 points in a win at No. 14 Illinois on Jan. 16.
Also powering the Buckeyes is junior guard Duane Washington Jr., who is averaging 14.8 points, 3.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. He is nearly automatic at the free throw line, connecting on 87.5 percent of his foul shots. Washington poured in 18 points against Maryland, the 16th time he has scored 10 or more points this season. His best game was a 23-point performance against Northwestern on Jan. 13 and he also had 22 against No. 11 Rutgers on Dec. 23.
Why Indiana can cover
Sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis has been dominant and leads the Hoosiers in both scoring and rebounding. For the season, he is averaging 19.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 assists per game. He also has 10 steals. Jackson-Davis has scored in double figures in all 19 games, including eight double-doubles. On Wednesday, he scored a season-low 10 points but grabbed 14 rebounds to help Indiana survive and win at Northwestern. His best game was a 31-point performance against Stanford on Dec. 2. He has reached 20 points or more 10 times.
Sophomore guard Armaan Franklin has also been a big part of the Hoosiers' offense and in 17 games played is averaging 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He is connecting on 43.9 percent of his field goals, including a team-best 42.6 percent from 3-point range. Franklin played an integral part in the win over Northwestern, playing 44 minutes and scoring 23 points. He also scored 23 points in a loss at Illinois on Dec. 26. He has reached double figures 11 times this season, including 20 or more three times.
How to make Indiana vs. Ohio State picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting both teams combine for 143 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Indiana vs. Ohio State? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.
