Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines Big Ten Basketball Betting Preview

It's a rivalry that's stood the test of time; the Buckeyes take on the Wolverines. This college basketball matchup features the No. 16 Ohio State, searching for a win after losing to Rutgers. They face another Big Ten rival in Michigan, who has had a rough season so far.

Surprisingly enough, the Buckeyes actually come in as the underdog. There could be a few reasons for that.

The Michigan Wolverines are coming off a huge win over one of the best teams in College Basketball. In their last game, Michigan throttled No. 3 Purdue 82-58. This is definitely one of the reasons that they come in as 2.5-point favorites here.

The question is, can they continue the high-caliber play from their last game. Or will they fall flat when they face a familiar foe tonight?

Ohio State Buckeyes: The No. 16 ranking won't hold for long

Another loss to a Big Ten team could see the Buckeyes plummet in the rankings. Their 66-64 loss to Rutgers puts them in a tough spot on Saturday. They need to get a win over Michigan to increase their conference record to 15-6.

Their offense is much more efficient than Michigan's, and they need to use this to their advantage. If they don't, we could see another loss from OSU.

Considering the Buckeyes shoot well from beyond the arc, we expect them to stretch the floor. It's a good idea that they do against the Wolverines' stingy defense.

On average, the Wolverines only allow 67.82 points per game. If the Buckeyes want to head back home with a win under their belt, they'll need to score. However, the Michigan offense won't make it easy on them. 

Michigan Wolverines: Wolverines need to shut down Liddell

E.J. Liddell is going to be a big problem for the Wolverines if they don't address it quickly. Liddell has been lighting up the stat sheet, averaging 19.7 points per game.

Michigan should focus its efforts on containing Liddell early in the game. If they can make him a non-factor, it'll be a lot easier for them to win this game. If not, it could be disastrous for them as the game goes on. 

As an offense, the Wolverines have done fairly well this season. On average, the Wolverines are putting up 72.82 points per game. If they shot better from beyond the arc, the Wolverines could be dangerous.

Unfortunately, they're only shooting 35.45%, which is well under the 37.8% Ohio State is shooting. Avoiding getting stretched out on defense will be a big focal point today. 

Betting Odds & Lines for Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines

As we mentioned above, the Wolverines are 2.5-point favorites. The total is set at 141, and most believe it'll go over.

Over the last ten meetings, the Buckeyes are 6-4 against the Wolverines. Through their last five games, the Buckeyes have gone 4-1 ATS.  

This is guaranteed to be a pretty close game, but the Buckeyes have a slight edge. They've done well against the Wolverines in the past as well. The spread isn't very large either, making this game essentially a pick 'em.

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