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Ohio State vs Illinois Game Preview, Odds, Picks & Predictions

Fighting Illini Battling for First Place in Big Ten

Ohio State: Road Woes

If there is one number that stands out when looking at the seasons to date for Big Ten rivals Illinois and Ohio State it has to be the Buckeyes’ 4-5 record away from home. Ohio State will look to reach .500 on the road but it won’t be easy against an Illinois team that is 11-2 at home.

Both teams are very much in contention for the No. 1 seed for the Big Ten tournament. Illinois is a half-game behind first-place Purdue while Ohio State is only two games out of first.

Ohio State vs Illinois Game Preview, Odds, Picks & Predictions
Rey Del Rio/Getty Images/AFP

Illinois (+3500) and Ohio State (+5500) are among the Big Ten teams with the best odds to win the national championship according to the March Madness predictions.

Kofi Cockburn of Illinois (+450) is tied for the second-best odds to be named the national player of the year. EJ Liddell of Ohio State (+5000) is tied for 12th.

Freshman Branham Coming on Strong for Ohio State

The Big Ten has plenty of dynamic freshmen playing key roles, but it would be harder to find one playing better right now than Ohio State’s Malaki Branham.

The local kid who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, Branham averaged 6.3 points on 39 percent shooting while playing 21.8 minutes per game before his production and playing time took a significant leap beginning in January. It started with a 35-point effort in an overtime win against Nebraska on Jan. 2 as he played at least 30 minutes 13 times in the last 14 games.

In the last two games, Branham is averaging 24.5 points on 69.2 percent shooting while grabbing 6.5 rebounds per game. He is also 11 of 12 from the foul line in those two games as he joins Liddell as the only Ohio State player scoring in double figures.

What is a little strange about Branham’s recent play is that the Buckeyes are 1-2 in the last three games when he has at least 20 points, but 4-0 the last four times he has been held under 10 points. Branham is averaging 15 points and six rebounds in his last two games against ranked opponents and will be asked to play a key role against Illinois on Thursday.

Ohio State is 7-2 against the college basketball spreads in its last nine games.

Grandison Finds Shooting Touch for Illinois

Veteran Jacob Grandison had a pretty rugged four-game stretch when he was 7 of 26 from the field and 4 of 27 from 3-point range with seven turnovers. He broke out of whatever funk he was in with 24 points in a 79-74 win over Michigan State in the Fighting Illini’s last game. Grandison shot 8 of 12, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Both the field goals and 3-pointers made were season highs as he scored in double figures for the fifth time in Big Ten play this season.

The Fighting Illini are 7-2 when Grandison scores at least 10 points. He is averaging 19 points and six rebounds in the last two games against ranked opponents.

Grandison had 20 points and six rebounds in three games against Ohio State last season and he will be looking to have more of an impact in Thursday’s matchup.

Grandison’s huge game allowed Illinois to record 12 conference wins for three seasons in a row for the third time in program history. The team also accomplished the feat from 1951-53 and 1987-89. Illinois made the Final Four during each of those runs and when the March Madness Brackets come out next month, Illinois will be a team looked at as a possible Final Four team.

Illinois is 3-7 against the Las Vegas odds in the last 10 games,

Ohio State vs Illinois Head-to-Head

Illinois has won the last two meetings, with both coming in less than a week in 2021: A 73-68 victory as a two-point road underdog followed by a 91-88 win in the Big Ten tournament championship game as a 6½-point favorite.

Ohio State had won four of the previous five matchups and the Buckeyes have covered in four of the last six meetings. Four of the last six games between the teams have finished over the total.

The visiting team has won four of the last five regular-season matchups while each of the last five games has been decided by eight points or less.

Illinois was a No. 3 seed when the NCAA selection committee recently announced the current top 16 seeds. This is a matchup where an Illinois win would help that March Madness predictions become a reality.

Ohio State vs Illinois Game Information

  • Game: Ohio State (17-7) at Illinois (19-7)
  • Location: State Farm Center, Champaign, Illinois
  • Day/Time: Thursday, 9 p.m. ET
  • Television: FS1

Ohio State vs Illinois Betting Lines

Ohio State vs Illinois Prediction

Both Ohio State and Illinois have negative turnover margins, so which team takes better care of the ball could go a long way in deciding the winner.

Illinois will be without reserves RJ Melendez, who has scored in double figures in two of his last three games, and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk. They both average less than 10 minutes per game but contributed in wins against ranked teams earlier in the season.

Something to consider for those who bet online: the total has gone over in four of the last six games between Ohio State and Illinois and with a total of 140, that is a trend that could continue.

Pick: Over 140½

Pick: Illinois Fighting Illini -6

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