Ohio State Buckeyes vs Penn State Nittany Lions Matchup

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

Ohio State vs Penn State Prediction

Looking to win big? The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions face off at 6:30 ET on FS1. The Nittany Lions are hosting the game at Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, PA. This Big Ten conference matchup has an over/under of 148.5 points, and Penn State is favored to win by -2.5 at home vs. Ohio State.

Ohio State vs. Penn State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions
Where: University Park at Bryce Jordan Center
Date: Thursday, January 30th
Betting Odds PENNST -2.5, OHIOST +118 | PENNST -143 O/U 148.5

Buckeyes Preview: Can the Buckeyes Grab a Win on the Road?

Ohio State Buckeyes Recent Game/Games

Ohio State improved to 12-8 on the season with an 82-65 win over Iowa on Monday. The Buckeyes, who were favored by 7 points, covered the spread with the victory.

Leading 30-26 at halftime, Ohio State's offense exploded for 52 points in the 2nd half while holding Iowa to 39. The total points for the game were 147, falling short of the 156.5 O/U line.

Buckeyes Offense Breakdown

Ohio State put up 82 points in their last game, shooting 48.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.8%. They connected on 62.9% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 29.6% on 8-of-27 shooting.

Drew Thelwell led the way with 20 points, shooting 8-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range. Bruce Thornton added 15 points, hitting 3-of-5 from deep, while John Mobley Jr. dished out 8 assists despite shooting 2-of-10 from three.

Buckeyes Team Defense

Ohio State's defense gave up 65 points in their last game, allowing the opponent to shoot 48% from the field on 30 of 62 attempts. Inside the arc, the Buckeyes struggled, with the other team hitting 62% of their two-point shots, going 22 for 35.

From three-point range, Ohio State held the opponent to 29% shooting, as they made 8 of 27 attempts. The Buckeyes also sent them to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 14 shots for 73%. Ohio State gave up 11 offensive rebounds in the game.

Nittany Lions Preview: Will Penn State Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?

Penn State Nittany Lions Recent Game/Games

Penn State fell to 13-8 on the season after a 76-72 loss to Michigan on Monday. The Nittany Lions, who were +8.5 point underdogs, kept it closer than expected on the road.

After a 35-35 first half, Penn State scored 37 points in the 2nd half but allowed 41. The game’s total points of 148 fell short of the 159.5 O/U line.

Nittany Lions Offense Breakdown

Penn State's offense put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 49% from the field and 47.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 9 of 19 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage stood at 58.8%, and they hit 81.2% of their free throws, going 13 for 16 from the line.

Tre Donaldson led the way with 21 points and 7 assists, shooting 61.5% overall and 42.9% from three. Nick Kern Jr. added 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Ace Baldwin Jr. contributed 15 points and 6 assists. D'Marco Dunn was efficient, hitting 3 of 4 threes and finishing with 13 points.

Nittany Lions Team Defense

Even with Penn State's defense allowing 76 points, their opponent shot 48% from the field, hitting 30 of 62 attempts. Inside the arc, the Nittany Lions gave up 18 two-point baskets on 34 tries, a 52% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Penn State's defense allowed 12 made threes on 28 attempts, a 42% success rate. Their opponent also went 4/9 from the free-throw line, shooting 44%. The Nittany Lions gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Buckeyes vs Nittany Lions Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The Buckeyes are 2-1 ATS in their three last road games and 2-1 straight-up.
Through their last ten home games, Penn State has an ATS record of just 5-4-1. However, their overall record was 2-8 while averaging 71 points per game.
In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Buckeyes have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 3-2.
Looking back on the team's last ten games as the favorite, the Nittany Lions have a straight up record of 9-1. Their record vs the spread in these games was 4-6.