Games To Bet in the Big Ten This Week
Things got off to a rousing start in the Big Ten this week with top-ranked Purdue going on the road and being blown out by Nebraska on Tuesday. When making NCAA basketball picks, keep in mind that Wisconsin is sitting alone in first place in the Big Ten standings.
Purdue is the only Big Ten team still undefeated at home while Michigan is the lone team in the conference with a winning record on the road
The college basketball betting lines have host Ohio State favored against No. 15 Wisconsin while visiting Northwestern is a slight favorite against Penn State in the two games being played on Wednesday.
Although that figures to change when the new polls come out, Purdue received 75 of the 95 first-place votes to remain at No. 1 in both The Associated Press and USA Today coaches poll. Illinois is 10th in both polls with Wisconsin moving up six spots to No. 15 in the national rankings.
When looking at the college basketball futures odds, Purdue (+900) has the best odds of winning the national championship. Illinois (+5000) and Wisconsin (+550) are the next Big Ten teams listed.
Wisconsin Badgers (11-3 SU, 8-6 ATS) at Ohio State Buckeyes (12-3 SU, 6-8-1 ATS)
- Date/Time: Wednesday, January 10, 8:30 p.m. ET
- TV & Live Stream: Big Ten Network
Although Ohio State won the most recent matchup against Wisconsin and is listed by our sportsbook as a two-point favorite, Wisconsin has won three of its last four road games against Ohio State.
Badgers. Buckeyes. Game Day‼️
🆚 Ohio State
🕐 7:30 PM (CT)
📺 Big Ten Network
📍 Columbus, Ohio pic.twitter.com/uGQPuG7wwH— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) January 10, 2024
Wisconsin has covered in five of its last seven games while the Buckeyes are 2-6 against the spread over the last eight games.
Ohio State’s leading scorer Bruce Thornton has missed at least twice as many shots as he has made in three of his last five games. For Wisconsin, Tyler Wahl is averaging 18 points in his last two games. It has helped that he attempted 19 foul shots in wins over Iowa and Nebraska as Wisconsin extended its winning streak to four games.
Wisconsin should be on alert after the way Purdue, a fellow ranked team, stumbled on the road. There will be plenty of those who bet online jumping on Wisconsin as the road favorite.
Wisconsin is back home to face Northwestern on Saturday. Ohio State doesn’t face another ranked team until a Jan. 30 matchup with Illinois.
Michigan State Spartans (9-6 SU, 8-7 ATS) at Illinois Fighting Illini (11-3 SU, 8-4-2 ATS)
- Date/Time: Thursday, January 11, 9 p.m. ET
- TV & Live Stream: FS1
Michigan State has lost both of its true road game with those losses coming in conference play.
The Spartans had chances to win at Nebraska in the Big Ten road opener. It was a different story when Michigan State played at Northwestern as the Wildcats led by as many as 19 points before winning by 14.
The only home loss for Illinois came to Marquette in mid-November.
Things are starting to get a little nasty in the saga surrounding Terrance Shannon Jr. as he is filing a restraining order against Illinois.
Marcus Domask is averaging 28 points in the last two games.
Illinois has won each of the last three games against Michigan State and has covered against the Las Vegas odds in the last two meetings. Three of the last four games between the teams finished over the total.
Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-3 SU, 14-1 ATS) at Indiana Hoosiers (11-5 SU, 7-9 ATS)
- Date/Time: Friday, January 12, 6:30 p.m. ET
- TV & Live Stream: FS1
Minnesota heads into this game on a seven-game winning streak after narrow escapes against Michigan and Maryland in its first two games in January.
Indiana is coming off a nine-point loss at Rutgers when the Hoosiers were 7-of-26 from 3-point range. Even more concerning was that Indiana missed 11 of its 15 foul shots.
Next up for Indiana are games against Purdue and No. 15 Wisconsin so this is a pretty brutal stretch for the Hoosiers. The good news is senior guard Xavier Johnson recently returned to action.
Minnesota has been winning even though leading scorer Dawson Garcia is 7-for-26 in the last two games. The Golden Gophers have the best record against the college basketball betting lines among Division I men’s teams.
Indiana had won the last six meetings with Minnesota and had covered in the first five before the Golden Gophers covered in a four-point loss as the 11½-point underdog in the most recent matchup.
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Questions Of The Day
Will Minnesota maintain its hot streak, or will Indiana roar back in Bloomington?
Minnesota has lost seven straight to Indiana, but this could be the game when the Golden Gophers get the upper hand.
Which Big Ten underdog has the highest probability of winning a game this week?
Iowa can be a tough team at home so keep that in mind when Nebraska comes to town on Friday.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
