College Basketball Preview: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

The Indiana Hoosiers (13-5) have a tough road matchup on their hands when they face the Ohio State Buckeyes (10-7) on Friday, January 17 at 8:00 PM ET at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes are favored at home with a point spread at -7.5 (-105 MyBookie).

Indiana Hoosiers Betting Preview

The Hoosiers are on a two-game losing streak and they have to bounce back quickly before going down the wrong path. Their latest defeat was a 94-69 blowout against the 19th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini.

They allowed the Fighting Illini to get 60 points in the first half, which is incredibly hard to come back from no matter what team you are. Oumar Ballo led with 16 points while missing just four of his 11 shots and had 15 rebounds.

Their offense shot 38.5 percent from the field and just 22.2 percent from three point range. However, their defense took a hit when they allowed the Fighting Illini to make 40.0 percent of their shots and 34.4 percent from deep. The Hoosiers also had 11 turnovers and forced the Fighting Illini to have six, making this a big issue.

The Hoosiers are averaging 77.5 points a game and are shooting 46.7 percent from the field. On defense, they are holding teams to 72.3 points per game. This is a solid margin of error, but could use better defense to get the job done. 

Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview

The Buckeyes have also lost their last two games, with each loss being by two points. Their most recent loss was a 70-68 outing against the 24th-ranked  Wisconsin Badgers.

This game started off in the Badgers’ favor, as they posted a 37-20 lead heading into the half. However, the Buckeyes stormed back with 48 points in the second to make this a competitive game. Bruce Thornton led with 21 points and three assists.

Their offense actually performed better on paper in comparison to the Badgers, as they made 42.4 percent of their shots and 29.4 percent from three. One key area that helped the Badgers succeed was free throws, as they made 25 compared to the Buckeyes 13.

The Buckeyes are averaging 80.4 points a game and have netted 48.2 percent of their shots. On defense they are holding teams to 71.1 points, offering a more appealing point margin compared to the Hoosiers.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie has the latest Indiana Hoosiers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes betting odds, currently favoring the Buckeyes by 7.5 points. Looking at market insights, the Buckeyes have a 77.9 percent chance of winning. The Hoosiers have had plenty of close battles, while the Buckeyes have had more success by double digits.

Final Pick: Ohio State Buckeyes -7.5 (-105)