It will be a battle between Big 10 opponents when the No. 17 Ohio State Buckeyes (18-5, 9-1 Big 10) welcome the Indiana Hoosiers (12-10, 5-5 Big 10) to Value City Arena. The game starts at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 30, 2018.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the game has been set at 139 points with Ohio State opening as an 11-point favorite.
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Prediction
In the Hoosiers’ last matchup, they were defeated by the No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers, 74-67. One of Purdue’s biggest advantages was their ability to convert at the free throw line. They were 15-18 (83.3 percent), while the Hoosiers were just 10-17 (58.8 percent). Juwan Morgan was Indiana’s leading scorer with 24 points on 10-for-18 shooting.
The Buckeyes lost a tough one against the Penn State Nittany Lions in their last contest, 82-79. Penn State’s effective field goal percentage was their biggest strength over Ohio State. The Nittany Lions had a rate of 0.698 (above their season average of 0.526), while the Buckeyes posted a mark of 0.630. Ohio State’s Jae’Sean Tate recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds in the contest.
The productive offense of Ohio State will clash against the mid-tier defense of Indiana. The Buckeyes currently rank 43rd in offensive efficiency, while the Hoosiers are 221st in defensive efficiency. The Buckeyes should have the edge on that end of the court.
Indiana heads into the contest with records of 12-10 straight up (SU) and 12-8-2 against the spread (ATS). Games featuring the Hoosiers have finished under the projected point total 54.5 percent of the time.
Meanwhile, Ohio State owns records of 18-5 SU and 11-10 ATS. Games including the Buckeyes have a tendency to finish under the total (71.4 percent).
After the Hoosiers won the sole game against the Buckeyes last season, 96-92, these teams will meet for the first time this year. Indiana’s free throw rate was their biggest advantage over Ohio State. The Hoosiers had a rate of 0.276, while the Buckeyes posted a mark of 0.226.
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Free Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Ohio State, ATS Winner – Ohio State, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
On the road, Indiana is 3-4-1 ATS with 5 unders, 2 overs and 1 push.
At home, Ohio State is 5-7 ATS with 9 unders and 3 overs.
Ohio State ranks 48th in assists allowed per game (11.7) while Indiana ranks 142nd (13.5).
The Buckeyes rank 21st in steals allowed per game (4.9) while the Hoosiers rank 111th (6.3).
Ohio State ranks 26th in blocks allowed per game (2.5) while Indiana ranks 113th (3.6).
The Buckeyes rank 33rd in rebounds allowed per game (31.6) while the Hoosiers rank 106th (34.0).
Indiana ranks 212th in three pointers attempted per game (19.8) while Ohio State ranks 220th in three pointers allowed per game (23.8).
Betting Trends:
In their last five games, Indiana is 4-1 ATS with 4 unders and 1 push.
Ohio State is 3-2 ATS with 4 unders and 1 over over their last five games.
The Hoosiers have been outscored by an average of 2.8 points in their last five games. For the season, Indiana has defeated opponents by an average of 1.3 points.
During their last five games, the Buckeyes have scored an average of 69.8 points per game (8.0 below their season average) and allowed an average of 60.2 points per game (6.4 below their season average).
