While both schools do their best work on the football field, Penn State vs Ohio State is a rivalry game on the basketball court as well. On Thursday, both teams face off in the second round of the Big Ten tournament, as they each look to keep their hopes of winning a conference title alive in 2022. We will look at the game and give our best bet for the contest in our college basketball betting picks right now.
Penn State vs Ohio State DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Code
New bettors at DraftKings Sportsbook can get a 40/1 odds on this Penn State vs Ohio State game! Bet $5 to win $200 on either team!
At DraftKings Sportsbook, new bettors can take home a welcome bonus that pays out 40/1 odds on Penn State vs Ohio State. To take advantage, bettors can wager $5 on either team to win this Big Ten matchup. If that bet is a winner, DraftKings will pay out $200 in free bets, which is a massive value for those just starting out with the site.
Penn State vs Ohio State Betting Pick
This game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Why Bet On Ohio State:
✅ Neither team comes into this game with much momentum, even if Penn State did pick up a win on Wednesday against Minnesota. WIth both teams struggling to find their footing as of late, the more talented team in Ohio State has the edge, as they have a bigger upside than a Penn State team that has not played well for most of this season.
✅ Penn State’s offense has just not been good enough this season, which will cost them in this contest. The Nittany Lions have been outscored on the season on average, even when playing a non-conference schedule designed to give power conference teams as many easy wins as possible. Expect Ohio State’s quality to shine through and for the season of Penn State to come to a close.
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
✅ EJ Liddell is a huge matchup problem in this game, as he can score the ball in a number of different ways, making him very tough to defend. Liddell averages 19.4 points per game, and can shoot the jump shot or score from the paint. He will be the difference that puts Ohio State over th top in this contest.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State did get a win in their first round game in the Big Ten Tournament, beating Minnesota by nine points to get to the next round. The Nittany Lions held Minnesota to just 51 points in that game, with Jalen Pickett contributing a massive 22 points to lead the team to victory. Pickett will need to have another big game here for Penn State to have a shot to beat Ohio State on Thursday.
The Nittany Lions will also need a similar defensive performance to the one they cooked up against Minnesota. They held Minnesota to 26% shooting from three-point range, which prevented the Golden Gophers from climbing back into the game. Against a tougher opponent on Thursday, three-point defense will still be just as important.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State will begin its Big Ten tournament against Penn State on Thursday, looking to turn around a rough run over the last couple of weeks. The Buckeyes lost three of their last four games down the stretch in the regular season, costing themselves a regular season title in the process. That can all be forgotten, though, if Ohio State can win some games in the Big Ten tournament.
Defense will also be the key for Ohio State, as they have struggled to get stops over their last few games. They have allowed 75 points or more in three of their last four games, with those three games being their losses over that time period. They will have to control Jalen Pickett and avoid giving up another high-powered offensive showing from a Big Ten opponent here.