Ohio State Buckeyes at Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Preview

Another day, another Top 25 matchup in the Big Ten as the Iowa Hawkeyes host the Ohio State Buckeyes on Thursday night. This is the only meeting of the season between these two teams, and it could have an impact on the Big Ten Conference race.

Ohio State has now won three straight games, and they come into this matchup with an 8-4 record in Big Ten Conference play. The Buckeyes are also looking to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume with another win over a Top 10 opponent.

Iowa has gone 7-3 so far in the competitive Big Ten Conference, but this team was supposed to win the league. The Hawkeyes have had to deal with some adversity along the way, but Iowa is still a team that is a legitimate Final Four contender.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are 5.5-point favorites over the Ohio State Buckeyes on Thursday night. 

Buckeyes Underrated Offensively

Most people outside of the Big Ten have yet to recognize how great of an offensive team Ohio State is, but they just continue to find ways to score. The Buckeyes come into this matchup averaging 77.1 points per game, and they have an excellent inside-outside combination that spaces the floor well.

Forward E.J. Liddell leads the Buckeyes with 15.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and he will have to dominate the paint and make his presence known in this matchup. Duane Washington Jr. has chipped in with 14.5 points per game, and he will need to make shots from beyond the arc to put pressure on the Hawkeyes. 

Ohio State has a huge edge on the defensive end of the floor in this matchup as they are allowing just 67 points per game. The Buckeyes want to slow things down against Iowa and try to wear them down with physical play. 

Hawkeyes Must Defend

The Iowa Hawkeyes are averaging 89.4 points per game, but they are also giving up nearly 75 points per game. Iowa does not usually play sound defense, and that could be a major problem against a team like Ohio State who has the offensive potential to compete with the Hawkeyes.

Center Luka Garza leads the team with more than 26 points per game, and he should win Player of the Year this season. Garza just continues to find ways to exploit defenses, but he needs some help from his teammates.

Iowa will shoot a ton of three-point shots, and they are almost impossible to beat when they are shooting well from beyond the arc. Joe Wieskamp and Jordan Bohannon have combined for nearly 25 points per game and can both really shoot it. 

Hawkeyes Cruise to Win

The Iowa Hawkeyes are going to find a way to get things figured out at some point, and this feels like the perfect time to do it. Iowa will shoot the ball well on Thursday night, and that will allow them to create some separation. 

Ohio State has been playing great basketball of late, but they just do not have the offense to keep up in this one. The Buckeyes keep it close for 30 minutes, but Iowa will eventually take control of the shootout and outpace the Buckeyes.

Bet the Iowa Hawkeyes -5.5 over the Ohio State Buckeyes.

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