Northwestern vs Ohio State: Expert College Basketball Predictions For February 20, 2025
Northwestern and Ohio State clash in a Big Ten matchup on Thursday night in college basketball. Get college basketball picks for today around Northwestern vs Ohio State battling in a conference showdown in Columbus, OH!
Here’s a breakdown of predictions and picks for this Big Ten matchup tipping off at 6:30PM ET on February 20, 2025!
Northwestern vs Ohio State Game Details
Date: Thursday, February 20, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM PT
Broadcast: FS1
Location: Schottenstein Center in Columbus, OH
Spread: Ohio State -10.5 | Total: 143.5
Northwestern vs Ohio State Betting Preview
We successfully played against Ohio State on Sunday with Michigan, but the game didn’t exactly follow the script that we were envisioning.
The Buckeyes are due for a strong dose of regression from the three-point line, but it didn’t come on Sunday and it’s probably not going to come tonight.
In Ohio State’s last eight games, the Buckeyes have gone 72-for-178 (40.4-percent) from the three-point line, while opponents have shot 44-for-146 (30.1-percent) from beyond the arc.
That is a big red flag on Ohio State’s profile heading into March, but Northwestern is not the type of team to shut down the Buckeyes’ three-point attack.
In conference play, opponents are shooting 36.1-percent from the three-point line against the Wildcats. Chris Collins has been forced to abandon his slow-paced style because Northwestern is falling behind too quickly in its games.
Against Oregon last Tuesday, the Wildcats were down 17 in the first half. Against Washington, they were down 14 in the opening minutes of the second half. Northwestern’s conference games are averaging two possessions more this season than last season because the Wildcats are often playing from behind.
The over is 14-1 in Northwestern’s last 15 games. The lone “under” during that stretch came against Nebraska in a game where Northwestern led by 20 and tried to drain the clock, but couldn’t. The Buckeyes still have a massive issue with defending the paint.
Northwestern vs Ohio State Predictions
The Wildcats are outside the top-300 in three-point shot attempts, so Northwestern is going to look to do most of its scoring near the rim.
The Buckeyes are 17th out of 18 Big Ten teams in free throws allowed. Sophomore center Aaron Bradshaw committed five fouls in 11 minutes against Michigan on Sunday.
That was the second time in his last five games where Bradshaw fouled out of a game while playing less than 15 minutes.
With Ohio State struggling to defend the paint and Northwestern’s struggles to defend the three-point line, Thursday night’s clash should produce some points.
Northwestern vs Ohio State Prediction: Over 143.5
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