Ohio State vs. Penn State Pick – Jan 30, 2025

The Ohio State Buckeyes (12-8) and Penn State Nittany Lions (13-8) will square off in an exciting Big Ten challenge on Thursday, January 30 at 6:30 PM ET at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania. The Buckeyes are favored with a point spread at -3.0 (-115 at MyBookie).

Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview

The Buckeyes are on a two-game win streak, but have gone 2-3 over their last handful of games. Their recent performance was an 82-65 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes, which ended their three-game losing skid at home.

Micah Parrish led with 18 points, while Bruce Thornton was not far behind with 15 points and a team-best eight rebounds. In total, they had four players reach double figures and nine overall that scored at least a bucket.

Even though both teams shot about 28.0 percent from beyond the arc, the Buckeyes made almost 10 percent more of their field goals and had 10 more points in the paint than the Hawkeyes. The largest lead by the Buckeyes was 25, but they still easily covered the 6.5-point spread.

The Buckeyes are getting 79.9 points a game and making 48.3 percent of their shots. Their defense has slowed teams to 71.0 points a game, which shows they must stay strong on offense if their defense is allowing this many points.

Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Preview

The Nittany Lions have lost four out of their last five games with losing margins of five points or less and are currently on a two-game slide. Their recent defeat was a 76-72 battle with the Michigan Wolverines, where they covered the underdog 9.5-point spread.

Nick Kern Jr. led with 16 points and 10 rebounds. They had three players total that reached double digits in scoring, while they primarily utilized an eight-man rotation. They had the lead late, but allowed the Wolverines to finish it off with a 9-0 run.

Penn State capitalized on getting to the foul line and making 13 free throws as opposed to Michigan’s four. However, they turned the ball over 18 times and allowed the Wolverines to earn 19 points as a result.

The Nittany Lions are compiling 83.2 points a game and have made 48.8 percent of their shots. Their defense has looked similar to the Buckeyes, as they allow opponents to get 72.2 points per game on them. This spread is slightly more appealing, but only if Penn State is able to produce offensively.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

Check out MyBookie for the best Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions betting odds. This game is expected to be close, with the Nittany Lions projected to have a 51.5 percent chance of winning according to market predictions. The Nittany Lions are appealing at home, but the Buckeyes should have a ton of confidence from their last two games.

Final Pick: Ohio State Buckeyes -3.0 (-115)