Buffalo Bulls vs Ohio Bobcats Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Ohio vs Buffalo NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Buffalo.

Ohio vs Buffalo Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Bobcats versus the Bulls? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Alumni Arena in Buffalo, NY. Ohio is favored by -9.5 in this Mid-American conference matchup the against Buffalo. The over/under for the game is set at 152.5 points.

Ohio vs. Buffalo Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Ohio Bobcats at Buffalo Bulls
Where: Buffalo at Alumni Arena
Date: Tuesday, January 7th
Betting Odds OHIO -9.5, OHIO -467 | BUF +349 O/U 152.5

Bobcats Preview: Can Ohio Stun the Crowd at Alumni Arena?

Ohio moved to 6-6 on the season with a 57-55 win over Central Michigan on Saturday. The Bobcats were -4.5 favorites going into the game but didn’t cover the spread. The combined points of 112 fell well short of the 148.5 O/U line.

Ohio led 35-28 at halftime but managed just 22 points in the 2nd half while allowing 27. Despite the narrow margin, they held on for the win.

Bobcats Offense Breakdown

Ohio's offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 57 points with a 43.6% shooting rate from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.3%, hindered by a 21.7% performance from beyond the arc, hitting only 5 of 23 attempts. They also connected on just 4 of 10 free throws, shooting 40% from the line.

Inside the arc, Ohio was more efficient, hitting 59.4% of their two-point attempts. AJ Brown was a bright spot from three, hitting 4 of 7 attempts, while Jackson Paveletzke shot 62.5% overall, adding 5 assists. Jakobi Heady led the team with 15 points and 8 rebounds, despite shooting just 29.4% from the field.

Bobcats Team Defense

Ohio's defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 55 points on 32% shooting from the field. They limited two-point attempts to 39%, with the other team making 18 of 46 shots.

From beyond the arc, Ohio's defense was even tougher, allowing just 2 three-pointers on 15 attempts for 13% shooting. The opponent did manage to hit 81% of their free throws, going 13/16, and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds.

Bulls Preview: Will Buffalo Find a Way to Win at Home?

Buffalo's season continued to be a struggle as they fell to 3-8 after a 93-79 loss to Miami (OH) on Saturday. The Bulls entered the game as +11.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 172, surpassing the O/U line of 150.

Buffalo trailed 46-39 at halftime and couldn't close the gap in the 2nd half, scoring 40 points while allowing 47.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

Buffalo's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, scoring 79 points with a field goal percentage of 50.9%. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 60%, thanks in part to their 50% shooting from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 20 threes.

Ryan Sabol led the way with 25 points, shooting 72.7% from the field and 75% from three. Brant Byers was perfect from deep, going 6 for 6 from three-point range in just 17 minutes of play.

Bulls Team Defense

Buffalo's defense struggled, giving up 93 points on 45% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to hit 32 of their 71 shots.

From beyond the arc, Buffalo's defense was particularly vulnerable, as they allowed 17 threes on 34 attempts, a 50% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 15 times, where they converted 12 free throws.

Bobcats vs Bulls Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Ohio has an ATS record of 0-3 while averaging 64 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
Through their last five home games, Buffalo has an ATS record of just 2-3. However, their overall record was 0-5 while averaging 63 points per game.
As the betting underdog, the Bulls have an ATS mark of just 0-3 in their last three games. Buffalo posted a straight up mark of 0-3 in these matchups.
Against the spread, the Bobcats have put together of 2-3 in their last five games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 4-1 straight up.