The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes are set to face off at 6:30 ET on BTN. The Hawkeyes will host the game at Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. Ohio State is favored by -2 in this Big Ten conference matchup the against Iowa. The over/under for the game is set at 155 points.

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES VS IOWA HAWKEYES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Iowa Hawkeyes +2

This game will be played at Target Center at 6:30 ET on Thursday, March 14th.

WHY BET THE IOWA HAWKEYES:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-68 in favor of the Hawkeyes.
  • Not only will Iowa pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +2.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 155 points, and we like the under with a projected 143 points.

Can The Buckeyes Secure a Win at Minneapolis?

Ohio State enters this game as a two-point favorite, and they have been the favorite in 21 of their 31 games this season. They have gone 16-5 in those games, while their overall record stands at 19-12.

On the road, the Buckeyes have gone just 5-8 this season, but they have won two straight away from home. Their average scoring margin on the road is -0.8 points per game.

Overall, Ohio State has an ATS record of 14-17 this season. As the favorite, the Buckeyes are 9-12 vs. the spread. On the road, their ATS mark is 6-7 and they have gone 2-1 vs. the spread in their last 3 road games. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, Ohio State is 5-5.

This season, the over/under record in Ohio State games is 17-14. So far, the average over/under line in their games is 143.2 and the average scoring total is 143.4. Today’s over/under line of 155 is higher than the average line in their games this year. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 and the average scoring total is 138 points.

In their recent matchup, the Ohio State offense ended with 73 points against Rutgers. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 50% and made 9 threes. Bruce Thornton is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today’s matchup with an average of 16.1. Meanwhile, Jamison Battle also brings a PPG average of 14.4 into the game.

Currently, the Buckeyes’ defense holds the 90th rank in the nation, allowing 69.0 points per game. Against Rutgers in their most recent game, the Ohio State defense gave up a total of 51 points while allowing Rutgers to hit 27% of their shots.

Can the Hawkeyes Secure a Win at Home?

Despite being the underdog, Iowa has been significantly better at home this season, where they are 14-5 compared to 4-8 on the road. Their average scoring margin at home is +10.9 compared to -5.7 on the road.

Overall, the Hawkeyes are 18-13 this season, including a 10-10 mark in Big Ten play. In their last game, they lost to Illinois, 73-61. Over their last 10 games at home, Iowa is 7-3.

As the underdog this season, Iowa has gone 5-9 vs. the spread. At home, the Hawkeyes have an ATS mark of just 7-11-1. Their overall ATS record is 12-18-1. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, Iowa has gone 4-6 vs. the spread.

So far this season, the over/under record for Iowa games is 20-11 and today’s line of 155 is lower than the average over/under line in their games (159.9). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 157 points and today’s line is lower than that. Their over/under record in their last three games is 2-1.

Iowa offense recently wrapped up a game with a total of 61 points against Illinois. In that game, they made 7/21 three-point attempts and achieved a field goal percentage of 35.4%. The team’s top scorer is Payton Sandfort, who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 16.2, while Tony Perkins also maintains a PPG average of 14.5 leading up to the game.

Looking at the Iowa defense, they will be looking for a better performance considering they are currently conceding 78.6 points per game (311st). Against Illinois in their most recent game, the Iowa defense gave up a total of 73 points while allowing Illinois to hit 35% of their shots.