Michigan vs. Ohio State Prediction, Odds for College Basketball on Sunday, Feb. 8

The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines have just one loss in the 2025-26 season and have won seven games in a row entering their second meeting of the season with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Ohio State is currently ninth in the Big Ten standings, though it played pretty well defensively against Michigan earlier this season, allowing just 74 points in a 12-point loss. The Wolverines are the No. 1 team in KenPom’s latest rankings, posting the No. 7 adjusted offensive efficiency and the No. 1 adjusted defensive defensive efficiency in the country.

Ohio State has yet to beat a ranked opponent this season, and oddsmakers have set it as a sizable underdog at home against Dusty May’s squad.

The Wolverines are a well-balanced team, as eight different players are averaging seven or more points per game and five are averaging in double figures.

Meanwhile, guards Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. do a lot of the heavy lifting for the Buckeyes, averaging over 35 points per game combined.

Can Ohio State pull off a wild upset in this rivalry matchup?

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, a key player to watch and my prediction for Sunday’s matchup.

Michigan vs. Ohio State Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Michigan -9.5 (-105)
Ohio State +9.5 (-115)

Moneyline

Michigan: -380
Ohio State: +300

Total

159.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Michigan vs. Ohio State How to Watch

Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Value City Arena
How to Watch (TV): CBS
Michigan record: 21-1
Ohio State record: 15-7

Michigan vs. Ohio State Key Player to Watch

Yaxel Lendeborg, Forward, Michigan

The leading scorer for the Wolverines, Lendenborg had a big game against Ohio State earlier this season, scoring 18 points while chipping in nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Not only does Lendenborg lead Michigan in scoring, but he’s also tops on the team in rebounds (7.2) and steals (1.3) per game this season.

The Michigan offense can beat teams in a lot of ways, but Lendenborg has been a tough customer to deal with, shooting over 50 percent from the field and over 84 percent from the free-throw line.

If Ohio State can’t keep him in check, it’s going to be tough to compete with this loaded Michigan offense.

Michigan vs. Ohio State Prediction and Pick

These teams are opposites in how they’d like to play, as the Wolverines are 10th in the country in adjusted tempo while the Buckeyes clock in at No. 222.

Michigan has played a bunch of high-scoring games this season (it just hung 110 points on Penn State), but there’s a chance this matchup could lead to a low-scoring affair for the second time this season.

Ohio State is at home, which should make it a more comfortable environment for the Buckeyes to slow things down. The team’s guard tandem of Mobley and Thornton is extremely reliable, and the Buckeyes allowed less than 60 shot attempts by the Wolverines the last time they played, combining for just 136 points in the game.

Michigan has a vaunted offense, but KenPom also ranks it No. 1 in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. In fact, the Wolverines have given up less than 80 points in 10 of their 12 Big Ten matchups.

If Ohio State is able to control the pace a bit – similar to the last meeting between these teams – I think we’ll see this game go UNDER on Sunday afternoon.

Pick: UNDER 159.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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