Ohio State Buckeyes vs Wisconsin Badgers Matchup

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

Ohio State vs Wisconsin Prediction

Betting on today's Buckeyes and Badgers game? Catch the action at Kohl Center in Madison, WI, as the Badgers hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on PEAC. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 149.5 points, and Wisconsin is favored by -6.5 to win at home against Ohio State.

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers
Where: Madison at Kohl Center
Date: Tuesday, January 14th
Betting Odds WISC -6.5, OHIOST +207 | WISC -256 O/U 149.5

Buckeyes Preview: Do the Buckeyes Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

Ohio State's season record dropped to 10-6 after a narrow 73-71 loss to Oregon on Thursday. The Buckeyes, who were -2.5 favorites at home, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 144, just under the O/U line of 149.5.

Ohio State led 32-27 at halftime but struggled defensively in the 2nd half, allowing 46 points while scoring 39. This defensive lapse was a key factor in the loss.

Buckeyes Offense Breakdown

Ohio State's offense put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 42.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 49.1%. They connected on 38.9% of their three-point attempts, going 7-for-18 from deep, and were efficient at the free-throw line, hitting 16-of-19 for 84.2%.

Jackson Shelstad led the way, shooting 72.7% overall and 66.7% from three, finishing with 24 points and 3 assists. Nate Bittle added 21 points, hitting 4-of-8 from beyond the arc, while Bruce Thornton contributed 20 points and 3 assists, shooting 50% from the field.

Buckeyes Team Defense

Ohio State's defense gave up 73 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field on 24 of 57 attempts. The Buckeyes held them to 43% shooting on two-pointers, as they went 17 for 39.

From beyond the arc, Ohio State allowed 7 threes on 18 attempts, a 38% shooting performance. The opposing team also made 16 of 19 free throws, shooting 84% from the line. Ohio State gave up 10 offensive rebounds.

Badgers Preview: Is A Home Victory Likely for Favored Wisconsin?

Wisconsin improved to 13-3 on the season with an 80-59 win over Minnesota on Friday, January 10th. The Badgers, who were -13 favorites, covered the spread in this home game.

After leading just 30-29 at halftime, Wisconsin turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Minnesota 50-30. The game’s total points ended at 139, just under the O/U line of 140.5.

Badgers Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, Wisconsin put up 80 points, shooting 43.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.6%. They connected on 11 of 28 three-point attempts, hitting 39.3% from deep, and were solid at the free-throw line, making 19 of 24 for 79.2%.

Steven Crowl was a standout, shooting 85.7% overall and hitting both of his three-point attempts, finishing with 18 points and 5 rebounds. Dawson Garcia led the team with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while John Tonje added 16 points despite struggling from three, hitting just 1 of 6 attempts.

Badgers Team Defense

Wisconsin's defense held their opponent to 59 points, despite allowing them to shoot 43% from the field. The Badgers gave up 25 made shots on 57 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Wisconsin's opponent hit 11 of 28 threes, good for 39%. They also sent them to the line 24 times, where they made 19 free throws, shooting 79%.

Buckeyes vs Badgers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Ohio State has a straight up record of 2-1 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 75 points per game in these games.
In their last five home games, Wisconsin has averaged 79 points per game while allowing 80. The team's record in this stretch was 2-3 while going 3-2.
As the betting underdog, the Buckeyes have an ATS mark of just 2-3 in their last five games. Ohio State posted a straight up mark of 2-3 in these matchups.
As the betting favorite, the Badgers have an ATS mark of just 6-4 in their last ten games. Wisconsin posted a straight up mark of 9-1 in these matchups.