Michigan vs Ohio State Odds and Picks

By John Perrotto in College Basketball
Updated: February 22, 2021 at 8:43 am ESTPublished:

- Ohio State is a 1.5-point home favorite over Michigan on Sunday in a Big Ten game at Value City Arena in Columbus
- Michigan is ranked #3 in the Associated Press media poll and Ohio State is #4
- The odds, lines and spread for Michigan-Ohio State can be found below along with a prediction
Two schools that have a storied rivalry in football will meet on the hardwood in a game with national implications when Michigan visits Ohio State at 1pm ET Sunday in a Big Ten showdown at Value City Arena in Columbus.
Michigan (15-1 overall, 10-1 Big Ten) is ranked #3 and on a four-game winning streak since their lone loss of the season to Minnesota. #4 Ohio State is right behind the Wolverines, have won seven games in a row and 10 of their last 11 and are small favorites in this one.
Michigan vs Ohio State Odds
Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Michigan | +102 | +1.5 (-109) | Over 148.5 (-110) |
Ohio State | -125 | -1.5 (-112) | Under 148.5 (-112) |
Odds taken Feb. 20 from FanDuel
Wagner Leads Michigan
Michigan built a big lead Thursday night at home against Rutgers but was unable to cover the nine-point spread as it won 71-64.
Just a little fun from last night …#GoBlue 〽️🏀 pic.twitter.com/3q19XuIu1q
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) February 19, 2021
Sophomore guard Franz Wagner led the way with 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists. He tied his season high in points and is averaging 12.6 a game along with 6.8 rebounds.
Senior guard Mike Smith added 12 points, raising his season average to 8.4. He is shooting an impressive 48.6% on 3-point field goal attempts.
Freshman center Hunter Dickinson added 10 points and eight rebounds. He leads Michigan in both categories with averages of 14.6 and 7.8 along with 1.6 blocked shots.
Ranked as the 10th-best player in the nation by KenPom, Dickinson has a 64.6% field goal percentage.
Hunter Dickinson's line:
11 points
15 rebounds (ties career-high)
5 blocks (career-high)Watch all five blocks ⬇️.@H_Dickinson24 // @umichbball pic.twitter.com/iC45GAx1GE
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) February 14, 2021
Rutgers held senior forward Isaiah Livers to seven points, his second-lowest total of the season and less than half his 14.5 season average. Livers is also pulling down 6.1 rebounds a game and shooting 89.7% from the free throw line.
One of the few negative stats for Michigan is that it forced the Scarlet Knights into just two turnovers.
The Wolverines are seventh nationally in both adjusted offensive efficiency (119.0 points per 100 possessions) and adjusted defensive efficiency (89.3) according to KenPom.
Ohio State Rolling Along
Down 59-51 with 14:53 left, Ohio State used a 21-5 run to move in front, then went on to a 92-82 victory at Penn State on Thursday as a 4.5-point favorite.
The win gave the Buckeyes reason to sing.
https://twitter.com/OhioStateHoops/status/1362607622864658432
Sophomore forward E.J. Liddell topped the Buckeyes with 23 points. He has scored in double figures in eight of the last nine games and has topped 20 points five times in that span.
Liddell is averaging 15.5 and 6.6 rebounds a game. He is also drawing 6.3 fouls per 40 minutes.
Junior guard Duane Washington Jr. stayed hot with 21 points, which was two off his season high and gave him six games this season with at least 20. He is averaging 14.9 points and making 88.7% of his free throws.
Senior guard CJ Walker finished with 13 points and seven assists. He has adjusted well to the role as sixth man since missing four games in January with an injured right hand. Walker, a 95.5% foul shooter, is playing with three fingers taped together.
CJ Walker sees John Harrar rolling to the rim freely, nails him with a very physical box out, gets the board and pushes in transition quickly, then scores off a perfect euro step counter to the attempted charge draw. Ultimate Senior point guard who knows what he's doing sequence. pic.twitter.com/DdyTlxvIsA
— Daniel Olinger (@dan_olinger) February 19, 2021
The Buckeyes had an outstanding shooting night against Penn State, making 56.6% (30-of-53) of their field goals and 80.8% (21-of-26) of their free throws.
Junior forward Justin Sueing has also had a solid first season for Ohio State after transferring from California with averages of 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Ohio State is third in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency (124.0) but 67th in adjusted defensive efficiency (96.3).
Buckeyes Swept Last Season
This is the only game scheduled this season between the rivals, but Ohio State beat Michigan twice in 2019-2020, 61-58 on the road as a three-point underdog and 77-63 at home as a four-point favorite.

Washington totaled 37 points in the two games, including 20 in the second meeting in which he made five 3-pointers. The Buckeyes shot 52.4% (11-of-21) from beyond the arc in that game.
This matchup has all the makings of a classic, but Ohio State is rolling and will tough to beat in Columbus.
Pick: Ohio State -1.5 (-112)

Sports Writer
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.