Thursday nights belong to college basketball once again. And the timing couldn’t be better for college basketball betting enthusiasts, as the schedule delivers yet another clash of Top 25 powers. This one involves a couple of Big Ten rivals who will hook up for the second time in a month.
Props.com breaks down the college basketball betting odds for Thursday’s highly anticipated Ohio State-Wisconsin matchup, as well as the best rivalry in the West Coast Conference.
Odds via PointsBet USA and updated as of 3:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 13.
No. 16 Ohio State Vs No. 13 Wisconsin
Tipoff/TV: 7 p.m. ET/ESPN2
Ohio State: 10-3 SU/6-7 ATS
Wisconsin: 13-2 SU/10-5 ATS
Spread/Total: Wisconsin -3.5 (-115)/141
Last meeting: Ohio State won 73-55 as a five-point home favorite (Dec. 11)
About Ohio State: The Buckeyes are 6-1 SU/4-3 ATS since upending then-No. 1 Duke 71-66 as a 3-point home underdog on Nov. 30. Ohio State rebounded from last Thursday’s ugly 67-51 loss at Indiana with Saturday’s 95-87 victory at Northwestern as a 7.5-point road favorite. Among Big Ten schools, Ohio State ranks second in field-goal proficiency (48.2 percent), third in made 3-pointers (9.3 per game), and fifth in scoring offense (76.2 ppg).
About Wisconsin: The Badgers have responded to their 18-point loss at Ohio State with five consecutive victories, including three straight wins and covers in Big Ten action. The Badgers, who have scored at least 70 points throughout their current winning streak, lead the nation in fewest turnovers committed (8.2 per game).
What’s At Stake: Ohio State and Wisconsin are 4-1 in Big Ten play. Tonight’s winner will have sole possession of third place, trailing Michigan State and Illinois (both 5-0).
Players To Watch
Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell has been a dynamic asset this season, leading the Buckeyes in scoring (20.7 points per game) and rebounds (7.2 per game). The 6-foot-7 Liddell also leads the Big Ten in blocks, swatting 3.2 shots per game.
Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis is a legitimate candidate for this year’s Wooden Award. The uber-athletic sophomore, who’s already generating top-10 buzz for this year’s NBA draft, leads the Badgers in scoring (22.3 ppg), rebounds (7.4 rpg), and assists (2.6 apg).
Notable Trends
• Ohio State is on positive ATS runs of 11-5 on the road and 8-3 as an underdog
• Wisconsin is 9-3 ATS in its last 11 overall
• Over is 9-3 in Ohio State’s last 12 overall and 16-5 in its last 21 on the road
• Over is 5-0 in Wisconsin’s last five overall and 5-1 in its last six at home
• The favorite has covered 14 of the last 20 head-to-head meetings
• Over is 7-2 in the last nine series battles
Ohio State vs Wisconsin Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET: Wisconsin landed on PointsBet USA’s Thursday college basketball odds board as a 2.5-point chalk. The Badgers moved to -3 Wednesday evening and on to -3.5 early this morning. Wisconsin is landing 66% of spread tickets, but spread money is much closer, at 52% on the Badgers. The total opened at 139, peaked at 141.5 early this afternoon and is now 141. It’s two-way play here, as well, with 52% of tickets/55% of money on the Over.
BYU Vs No. 2 Gonzaga
Tipoff/TV: 11 p.m. ET / ESPN2
Venue: McCarthey Athletic Center (Spokane)
BYU: 14-3 SU/9-6 ATS
Gonzaga: 12-2 SU/7-7 ATS
Gonzaga: Gonzaga -15 (-105)/151.5 (Over -105)
Last meeting: Gonzaga won 88-78 as a 14-point favorite in the West Coast Conference championship game (March 9, 2021)
About BYU-Gonzaga: The Cougars (2-0 in WCC) have won four in a row, but only are 2-2 SU/ATS against power-conference or ranked teams this season. BYU has the country’s 33rd-ranked scoring defense, allowing 61.9 points per outing. The Zags have posted five consecutive blowout victories (3-2 ATS) since an 91-82 upset loss to Alabama on Dec. 4. Gonzaga currently ranks second nationally in scoring offense (87.9 ppg) and scoring margin (23.9), trailing No. 6 Arizona in both categories.
Notable Trends
• BYU is riding ATS hot streaks of 19-7-1 on the road and 8-1-2 as an underdog
• Gonzaga is 2-5 ATS in its last seven at home and 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven Thursday games
• Over is 4-1 in BYU’s last five at home
• Over is 4-1 after Gonzaga scored 90+ points in its previous game
• BYU is 2-0-2 ATS in the last four meetings after Gonzaga went 5-0 ATS in the previous five
BYU vs Wisconsin Odds and Action
UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET: The Zags opened -13.5 Wednesday night at PointsBet USA and stretched to -15 by midafternoon today. Gonzaga is nabbing 72% of spread bets and 88% of spread dollars. The total dipped from 153.5 to 151.5 by this morning, then edged up to 152 late this afternoon. Ticket count is 4/1 and money beyond 9/1 on the Over.
