Ryan Wohl gives his college basketball analysis and pick for Virginia vs. Ohio State on Saturday, February 14.
The Nashville Hoops Showdown is taking place at 8:00 p.m. ET between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Ohio State Buckeyes. This is only the third all-time matchup between these two teams, with Virginia winning both. The last Virginia vs. Ohio State game was in November 2016.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Virginia is -4.5 with Ohio State being +160 on the moneyline. The over/under is set at 147.5 points with the under being -115. Here is my best bet for today’s Virginia vs. Ohio State matchup.
Virginia vs. Ohio State (8:00 p.m. ET)
Since losing to North Carolina, Virginia has won five straight games, with their last win coming against Florida State on February 10. As a team, Virginia averages only 81.9 points per contest but makes up for it with its elite defense. The Cavaliers have allowed 66 or fewer points in their last four games and have the 17th-best defensive rating in the country.
Ohio State has the 74th defensive rating and 47th offensive rating. The Buckeyes score 81.6 points per game, slightly less than the Cavaliers. Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. are their top two scorers, forming a dynamic backcourt. Thornton is coming off a 21-point perfromance agianst USC on Wednesday. Ohio State is 3-3 in their previous six contests, and haven’t won two consecutive games since January 20. This season, Ohio State is 0-5 against top-25 opponents.
Three of Virginia’s last four wins have been by at least five points. Virginia has won 18 of their 21 games this season by five-plus points. Ohio State’s last four losses have come by at least five points. Virginia has the depth to slow Thornton down, and if it does, Ohio State will likely struggle to create offense. Virginia has a versatile team and has shown it can win both high and low-scoring games this season.
College Basketball Pick: Virginia -4.5 (-105)