No. 24 Wisconsin vs Ohio State Preview, Odds, Predictions (Feb. 17)

• The Badgers racked up another ranked win, stunning Michigan State in their last game.
• The Buckeyes have a strong 11-3 record at home, possessing a potential advantage.
• This marks the 177th all-time meeting between the Big Ten squads.

Teams in the Big Ten conference will be busy, especially when it comes to the No. 24 Wisconsin Badgers as they face the Ohio State Buckeyes on the road. The former stands out as the slight favorite, but the Buckeyes have the talent to defend homecourt and create upset noise.

Check out: UCLA vs No. 15 Michigan State Preview, Odds, Predictions (Feb. 17)

How to Watch

• When: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 8:30 pm ET
• Where: Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio
• How to Watch: FS1

NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines

Game Preview

The No. 24 Badgers (18-7, 10-4 Big Ten) can’t stop racking up win over ranked opponents in conference play. Beating the likes of the Michigan Wolverines and Illinois Fighting Illini, Wisconsin torched the Michigan State Spartans in their last contest. This allowed them to finally make their way to the latest AP Top 25 poll, taking the 24th spot.

Nick Boyd earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Monday, marking the second time this season. He averaged 27 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds in the wins over No. 8 Illinois and No. 10 Michigan State, proving his talent as one of the best guards in the country. Nolan Winter will look to be impactful inside the paint. He tallied 10 points and 11 rebounds against the Spartans, notching his 12th double-double of the season as he ranks second in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes (16-9, 8-6 Big Ten) have been underrated this season, standing out as one of the more decent sides in the conference. In the month of February, they went 2-2 in their matchups so far, beating the Maryland Terrapins and the USC Trojans. However, they lost to ranked squads in the Michigan Wolverines and the Virginia Cavaliers, showing their inability to beat the elite squads at the moment.

Ohio State missed its second leading scorer John Mobley Jr. against Virginia due to a hand injury. His presence for the Wisconsin game is highly doubtful, emphasizing the need for other players to step up. Bruce Thornton will lead the offense as one of the best scorers in the country, producing 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Head-to-Head

The two programs have had 176 meetings in their history, and the official result is 91-79 for the Buckeyes. The last matchup was in January this year when Wisconsin won 92-82 at home.

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Predictions

The Badgers have the advantage when it comes to health and overall form. They have big wins over ranked opponents, putting the pressure on Ohio State to make them nervous. The Buckeyes may have homecourt advantage, but it will be hard for them to keep the likes of Nick Boyd in check if he heats up like he did against Michigan State. Our betting pick here is the Badgers to defend a 1.5-point spread.

• Free NCAAB pick: Wisconsin Badgers -1.5