Michigan vs. Ohio State Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Sunday, Feb. 16

Iain MacMillan | Feb 16, 2025

Ohio State is a small home favorite to Michigan in Sunday's college basketball action. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 20 Michigan Wolverines are coming into this game red-hot, winning five straight games including a victory against No. 7 Purdue. They now lead the Big Ten and can further boost their resume when they face their rival, the Ohio State Buckeyes, on Wednesday afternoon.

Despite the lopsided record and metrics, Michigan finds itself an underdog in enemy territory against the Buckeyes. Let's dive into the odds a bit more and then I'll break down which side I'm backing.

Michigan vs. Ohio State Odds, Spread, and Total

Spread

• Michigan +2.5 (-110)
• Ohio State -2.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Michigan +120
• Ohio State -144

Total: 150.5 (Over -115/Under -105)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Michigan vs. Ohio State How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, February 16
• Game Time: 1:00 PM EST
• Venue: Schottenstein Center
• How to Watch (TV): CBS
• Michigan Record: 19-5
• Ohio State Record: 15-10

Michigan vs. Ohio State Key Players to Watch

Michigan

Vladislav Goldin: The Michigan offense goes through Vladislav Goldin, who's averaging 15.5 points per game this season. A strong interior defense is vital in stopping the Wolverines.

Ohio State

Bruce Thornton: The Ohio State guard should take more shots from beyond the arc. He heads into today's game shooting 46.2% from three-point land but has only attempted 104 three-point shots this season. If he can keep that shooting percentage and crank up his volume, Ohio State is going to be tough to beat.

Michigan vs. Ohio State Prediction and Pick

Despite Michigan looking like an obvious bet based on the records of these two teams, I'm going to back Ohio State as a small favorite.

You should rarely bet Ohio State on the road, but its home numbers are too good to ignore. For example, the Buckeyes' effective field goal percentage sits at 58.6% when playing on their home court, which is 9.1% better than their mark on the road.

Meanwhile, Michigan has a glaring issue that's going to cost them sooner rather than later. The Wolverines rank 329th in the country in turnovers per possession, coughing it up 19.7% of the time they have the ball. That could end up being the difference-maker against Ohio State.

Pick: Ohio State -2.5 (-110 via FanDuel Sportsbook)

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