Ohio State vs. Minnesota Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Thursday, Feb. 22 (Minnesota Continues Crazy ATS Run)
Welcome to the head coach’s chair, Jake Diebler. In his first game as the interim head coach following the firing of Chris Holtmann, Diebler led Ohio State to a court-storming 73-69 win over No. 2 Purdue on Sunday. It was a bright spot on a lost season for the Buckeyes, who will miss the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season barring a miracle run in the conference tournament.
Can Ohio State make it two straight against the covering machine Golden Gophers? Minnesota has gone an absurd 22-3 ATS this season and has been great in every spot they’ve been in. Minnesota is coming off an 81-70 win over Rutgers and returns to Williams Arena, where it’s won three consecutive games.
Here’s the betting preview for Thursday’s conference contest with a best bet.
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Ohio State vs. Minnesota odds, spread and total
Ohio State vs. Minnesota betting trends
- Ohio State is 10-15-1 ATS this season
- Minnesota is 22-3 ATS this season
- Ohio State is 4-4 ATS as an underdog this season
- Minnesota is 11-1 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 14-12 in Ohio State games this season
- The OVER is 14-11 in Minnesota games this season
Ohio State vs. Minnesota how to watch
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 22
- Game time: 8 p.m. EST
- Venue: Williams Arena
- How to watch (TV): Big 10 Network
- Ohio State record: 15-11 (5-10 Big 10)
- Minnesota record: 16-9 (7-7 Big 10)
Ohio State vs. Minnesota key players to watch
Ohio State
Bruce Thornton: The 6-foot-2 sophomore guard spearheaded a spirited Ohio State upset of Purdue with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Thornton is averaging 16.1 points per game and has poured in 20-plus in two of the last three games shooting 26-of-56 from the field over that span.
Minnesota
Pharrel Payne: Minnesota’s offense shot 51% from the field against an elite Rutgers defense on Sunday and Payne led the way as all five Minnesota starters scored in double figures. Payne, a 6-foot-9 forward averaging 9.9 points per game this season, had a season-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting. He’s shooting 61.5% from the field this year and Minnesota is 7-3 when he scores in double figures.
Ohio State vs. Minnesota prediction and pick
Ohio State’s offense gets a lot of analytical love as KenPom’s No. 40 unit in efficiency, but the Buckeyes are still a slightly below-average shooting team. Ohio State ranks No. 174 in effective field goal percentage and is 12th in the Big 10 in 3-point shooting and ninth from inside the arc.
Minnesota’s defense is top-40 in the nation in defending shots from 2-point range and is No. 53 in effective field goal percentage. On offense, Minnesota loves to share the wealth, with 68.1% of its made field goals coming off assists, the second-best rate in the nation. It’s strength-on-strength in the paint for this matchup as Minnesota is No. 26 in 2-point shooting and Ohio State is No. 48 in defending those shots.
The difference could be made on the perimeter as Ohio State is No. 298 in defending shots from downtown. Opponents are making 35.9% of its triples against the Buckeyes, the second-worst rate in the Big 10.
Can you afford to go against Minnesota? Especially in this spot, where Ohio State could be overvalued after knocking off the Boilermakers at home. Now, Ohio State heads north and the Buckeyes are 0-7 on the road this season and 2-5 ATS in those contests. Meanwhile, Minnesota is an absurd 16-1 ATS at home this season. Take the Golden Gophers as a short favorite.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.