Wisconsin Ohio State Betting – Badgers' The Final Obstacle In Buckeyes' Pursuit Of Big Ten Title
The No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers are the final team that stands in the way of the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes' chance to clinch the Big Ten title once again. While on the surface this would seem like a favorable matchup for the Buckeyes, Jared Sullinger and company know just how dangerous this opponent can be. The Badgers handed Ohio State their first loss of the college basketball betting season back in early February, bumping the Buckeyes 71-67 in a game that knocked them out of the top spot in the national rankings.
- (12) Wisconsin Badgers @ Ohio State Buckeyes (3)
- Sunday March 6, 2011 – 4:00 PM ET
- Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio
- Online Sports Betting Odds: Ohio State – 8.5
Wisconsin has won three straight and seven of their last eight heading in to their matchup with the Indiana Hoosiers on Thursday night. The Badgers can finish no higher than second in the Big Ten, but will relish the opportunity to play spoiler.
College Basketball Betting Preview: Wisconsin
A tough road loss to Purdue in the second of back-to-back games against teams ranked in the top-10 is the only stain on the otherwise perfect run the Badgers have gone on since the beginning of February, success that leading scorer Jon Leuer helps will translate going forward to the NCAA national title tournament. Head coach Bo Ryan's teams simply don't lose at home, but this year's Wisconsin team has done an excellent job on the road as well, and that has them as a dark horse once the Madness begins. Leuer scored a game-high 26 points as the Badgers closed out the home portion of their schedule with a 78-63 win over Northwestern to improve to 16-0 at the Kohl Center. Now, Wisconsin turns its attention to the opportunity to provide another big upset and make their impact felt at the top of the Big Ten.
College Basketball Betting Preview: Ohio State
The Buckeyes know all too well not to underestimate this opponent, although it's not likely that they needed a reminder with the conference title on the line. Ohio State has rebounded from a tough skid in which they lost two of three to bounce back with three straight wins to hold off Purdue, but it now comes down to just one game. The Buckeyes are undefeated at home this season and have scored 82 or more points in each game during their current sports betting bonus winning streak. Senior Jon Diebler is one of the biggest reasons why after a couple of huge performances, including the career-high 30 points that he put up in the win over Penn State. Diebler set a school record with 10 three-pointers in the victory, and has emerged as the perfect compliment to leading scorer Jared Sullinger.
College Basketball Betting: Outlook & Pick
The Buckeyes went through a mini-slide with losses to Wisconsin and Purdue in mid-February, but have rebounded since and appear to be on track to close out strong. Diebler's emergence has solidified the Ohio State offense, and home advantage should give them an even stronger boost as they clinch the Big Ten title.
College Basketball Betting Pick: Ohio State
