The Big Ten basketball season has taken a number of twists and turns. The road now goes through Columbus, Ohio, where Ohio State will host Michigan this upcoming weekend.
Michigan Wolverines @ Ohio State Buckeyes – Sunday, January 29
Sports betting line: No line
Why Michigan Will Win
The college basketball betting experts who are beginning to sharpen their level of focus in the 2012 season are wondering just what kind of team Ohio State is. The Buckeyes have been bandied about as a Final Four-level squad, and there’s no question that at times, coach Thad Matta’s team looks like it. Ohio State drilled Florida earlier in the season and also waxed Duke by 22 points. Naturally, this team can play. However, can it play well on a consistent basis? That’s where the uncertainty creeps into play. Ohio State has played four Big Ten road games this season, and it cannot claim a winning record in them. The roster of opponents: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. That’s one decent team, one slightly above average team, an untalented overachiever, and a bottom-feeder.
Ohio State ran into a buzzsaw at Indiana, but the Buckeyes – if they’re truly worthy of making the Final Four – should have been able to mow down Illinois. They shouldn’t be as frail as they’ve shown at times this season. Michigan is definitely capable of beating Ohio State. UM coach John Beilein is one of the more resourceful bench bosses in major college basketball. His 1-3-1 zone defense is tough to figure out, and his teams use floor spacing to create open three-point looks, which can negate the size advantages of most opponents. Ohio State is a bigger and more powerful team than Michigan, but if the Wolverines run good halfcourt sets, they can stick outside shots and distort the shape of Ohio State’s defense, setting the table for dribble penetration. The path to victory exists.
Why Ohio State Will Win
When you do your homework and assess your best sportsbook on this game, you don’t need to engage in highly layered thinking. Ohio State is a beast at home – it’s only on the road where the Buckeyes show any appreciable signs of weakness. The Buckeyes won’t be 22 points better than Duke on a neutral floor or in Durham, North Carolina, but they were 22 points better than Duke at home. Ohio State avenged its loss to Indiana at home by 17 points, in a game that wasn’t nearly that close. It’s going to take a herculean effort by Michigan just to make this a 40-point contest. Jared Sullinger is a matchup nightmare inside the paint for a Michigan team that doesn’t have a remotely comparable post player. The Buckeyes hold all the cards here.
Who Will Win
It’s not hard to It would be a stunner if the Wolverines found a way to pull off a road upset of OSU. The Buckeyes just don’t slip up at home, not with another loaded team that has every chance of going deep in the NCAA Tournament.
College Basketball Betting Pick: Ohio State