The Ohio State Buckeyes are on the road tonight, taking on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Big Ten College Basketball action. The game is scheduled for a 9:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. Currently the betting odds for the game have the Buckeyes favored by the slimmest of margins on the road.

Ohio State is going to have a tricky one here tonight. The Fighting Illini have not been a good team this season at 10-10, they’ve struggled on their own floor as well with only four wins in seven home games. This is a critical game for Thad Matta and the Buckeyes, who are still in the top half of the conference standings.

The Buckeyes have not been good away from home, though, winning just one of their five true road games. Ohio State started the season horribly as well, sitting at 4-5 after a loss on Dec. 12 to Connecticut. Since then Matta’s club has won nine of 12, the only three losses coming on the road at Indiana, Maryland and Purdue with two of those being blowouts. Illinois isn’t on the same level as those three schools, which gives Ohio State an excellent chance to win tonight.

Illinois will have to stop Keita Bates-Diop, who is coming off a 22 point performance in a win over Penn State. Both Marc Loving and Jae’Sean Tate have also played well for the Buckeyes and will need solid games.

Illinois has some in-season revenge after falling 75-73 earlier this year to Ohio State, but they really have struggled in league play. The shocker was a win over Purdue a few weeks back, Illinois had to go to overtime to beat Minnesota in their last game on Saturday.

Free Pick: Ohio State

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