Illinois at Ohio State 2012 College Basketball Predictions: The 8th ranked Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team needs a win against visiting Illinois Tuesday to keep pace with the red hot Michigan State Spartans who have a game lead over the Buckeyes in the Big Ten standings. At 16-11 overall and 5-9 in the Big Ten, Illinois would need a miracle to become attractive enough for a NCAA Tournament bid. The bottom line for Illinois, they would need to win the Big Ten tournament. The Buckeyes, at 22-5 overall and 10-4 in the Big Ten, are pursuing a possible top seed in one of the Men’s NCAA Tournament brackets. Tuesday’s game is the ESPN opener in the Big Tuesday lineup. The game is set to start at 7 pm ET inside Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Oddsmakers at online sportsbook SBGglobal.com list the Buckeyes as 16-chalk favorites with a combined score total of 129. College Basketball Odds on the offshore moneyline are currently off but should post Tuesday morning.
Illinois is trying to snap a five-game losing streak, its longest in five years. The Illini are 3-3 against ranked teams this year, owning victories over No. 19 Gonzaga, No. 5 Ohio State (in Champaign) and No. 9 Michigan State. Illinois is looking for its first road win over a Top-25 opponent since defeating No. 11 Wisconsin, 63-56, on Feb. 9, 2010.
The Buckeyes lost their last time out while on the road at rival Michigan in Ann Arbor on Saturday. Jordan Morgan had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Deshaun Thomas had 25 points and 14 rebounds for Ohio State (22-5, 10-4). Sullinger scored 14 on 6-for-14 shooting.
Ohio State has only lost four conference games this season and one of them was to the Illini in Champaign, Ill., on Jan. 10. Buckeyes players will not lose to Illinois twice but not sure if they cover a 16 1/2 line. My Pick – Illinois + 16 1/2.
The 2011-12 College Basketball Season is now in full swing as schools have begun the battle for conference championships in pursuit of March Madness. College sports handicapper Reno Gold will be making College Basketball Odds picks through all of March Madness and the NCAA Tournament. The good news for college sports bettors – RENO’S PICKS ARE FREE. Check daily for Reno Gold’s opinion on all the top games each week for free. We also encourage you to sign up to get Free NCAA Basketball Picks now!
