The college basketball betting action continues Thursday night with the marquee non-conference showdown at Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, so we bring you the best Ohio State vs. Xavier betting pick and odds.

The Buckeyes meet the Musketeers for the first time since 2007 when Ohio State outlasted Xavier 78-71 as a 7.5-point home fave. This time around, the Buckeyes are small 1.5-point road favorites, while the totals are listed at 140.5 points on MyBookie Sportsbook.

Ohio State trounced Bowling Green after a couple of mediocre displays

The Ohio State Buckeyes improved to 3-0 SU and 1-2 ATS on the young season following an 89-58 thrashing of the Bowling Green Falcons this past Monday. They covered a 16-point spread in front of the home fans after a couple of disappointing displays in an 84-74 win to Niagara and a 67-66 win to Akron.

The Buckeyes dominated the Falcons from tip-off to finish, making 51.4% of their field goals and forcing 18 turnovers. E.J. Liddell led the way with 13 points and four assists, while Zed Key added 12 points and nine rebounds.

Liddell is now averaging 22.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists a night while shooting 59.5% from the field. The Buckeyes tally 112.6 points per 100 possessions (9th in the country) and surrender 91.5 in a return (40th).

Xavier defeated Kent State after a narrow win in the opener

The Xavier Musketeers improved to 2-0 SU and 1-1 ATS on the season following a 73-59 home victory over the Kent State Golden Flashes last Friday. They overcame a five-point deficit from halftime, allowing the Golden Flashes to score only nine points in the final 12 minutes.

The Musketeers opened the season with a disappointing 63-60 home win to Niagara, as they were listed as huge 17-point favorites. Xavier went only 8-for-27 from beyond the arc against the Purple Eagles, and the Musketeers struggled against Kent State, too, going 6-for-29 from downtown.

Paul Scruggs leads the way for Xavier, posting 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. The Musketeers score 108.7 points per 100 possessions (32nd in the nation) and allow 92.0 in a return (43rd).

Trends:

Ohio State

  • 4-8 ATS in the last 12 games overall
  • 2-7 ATS in the last nine outings as favorites   

Xavier:

  • 15-3 ATS in the last 18 games against the Big Ten Conference
  • 8-3 ATS in the last 11 outings as underdogs 

Ohio State vs. Xavier Pick

The Buckeyes smashed Bowling Green, but they haven’t impressed through their first two outings in 2021-22. Ohio State’s backcourt will have a tall task to slow down Paul Scruggs and Colby Jones (17.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG), while Xavier will have problems dealing with E.J. Liddell, so we should see a tight contest.

The Musketeers have a few big bodies to throw at Liddell, and if they start to knock down shots from deep, the hosts will upset the odds. This clash could easily go either way, but I’m backing Xavier because of their dynamic backcourt.

Pick: Take Xavier Musketeers +1.5 at -110                  

The Total:

Ohio State and Xavier both prefer to take things slowly, so I’m betting on the under. The Buckeyes are recording 68.5 possessions per 40 minutes (292nd in the country), while the Musketeers are registering 69.5 (246th).

The under is 4-1 in the Musketeers’ last five games overall, and it is 6-1 in their previous seven contests played on Thursday. On the other side, the total has gone under in three of Ohio State’s last six outings at any location.

Pick: Go under 140.5 points at -110