The Ohio State Buckeyes are hosting the Northwestern Wildcats tonight in Big Ten College Basketball action. The game is scheduled for an 8:00 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 at home to pick up the conference win.
Ohio State already has 10 losses on the season, the Buckeyes are about middle of the pack in the Big 10. Even so, Ohio State still has a lot of talent that is continuing to get better and could play their way into the NCAA Tournament with a strong showing as the season continues to close. Thad Matta's team has several key games down the stretch and a couple of wins in those games, along with beating teams they are better than, certainly would help the resume.
The Bucks only have one good win on the year, coming over Kentucky. Northwestern is just outside the Top 100 RPI, but it would give Ohio State an eighth win against teams in the Top 150, they knocked off the Wildcats earlier this season in Evanston as well.
Northwestern has played well at times this season, but they are 4-7 in Big Ten play. They knocked off Wisconsin back in January for the Wildcats' only Top 100 RPI win and they could get a second one tonight if they can beat Ohio State.
The big strength for the Buckeyes in this one, though, is the game is in Columbus. Matta's team has won 11 games on its own floor this season, the four losses have come against Virginia, Maryland, UT-Arlington and Louisiana Tech, the three non-conference games coming before December got rolling around.
Northwestern had a strong non-conference slate, but a Big Ten slate full of ranked teams has brought them back to reality. The Wildcats probably aren't going to make the tournament (again), but they are coming off an 82-58 runaway win over Minnesota. Winner of four of seven true road games, Northwestern's best win away from home game over Virginia Tech back at the beginning of December.
Free Pick: Ohio State
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