Texas Tech vs Ohio State Odds
| Texas Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 132.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
| Ohio State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 132.5 -110o / -110u | +100 |
Texas Tech and Ohio State go head-to-head on Wednesday with fifth and sixth place on the line at the Maui Invitational.
The Red Raiders fell to Creighton in their opening matchup of the event, but blew past Louisville on Tuesday as part of the consolation bracket.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes couldn't stop San Diego State in the first round, but rebounded with a victory over Cincinnati.
How will these programs depart Hawaii? Find out with a full betting preview below.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders made quick work of the sad, sad Louisville Cardinals a day after falling to Creighton.
Tech shut down the Cards’ offense, which is par for the course for this program. The Red Raiders currently rank sixth nationally in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency (per KenPom) and ranked No. 1 last year and in the top 10 in three of the four seasons prior to that.
OSU will need to be crisp to crack the Red Raiders' no-middle defensive code.
Big man Daniel Batcho has done yeoman’s work replacing the injured Fardaws Aimaq. Batcho is a machine on the glass and a legitimate rim protector with an endless motor. He sets the tone for Red Raiders defensively behind a shell of quick guards and rangy wings.
Offensively, pick-and-pop threats don’t get much better than Kevin Obanor, a stretch 4 who will look to pull OSU forwards away from the hoop.
Freshman Pop Isaacs and Texas transfer Jaylon Tyson will look to continue their hot shooting, while Oregon transfer De’Vion Harmon provides steady point guard play.
Tech’s weakness offensively this year has been taking care of the ball, but given the fact that OSU doesn’t look to pressure and checks in with one of the lowest defensive turnover rates in the country, this weakness is unlikely to be exposed.
Batcho will be the “key” to stopping Zed Key, but he will need to stay out of foul trouble. There simply isn’t a viable 5-man option behind Batcho, and OSU could really take advantage in the paint — despite the Tech system defense — if he’s forced out with fouls.
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes made mincemeat of a very good Cincinnati Bearcats squad on Tuesday, controlling the game the entire way and winning by 28. What makes this team so scary is its freshmen are already impact pieces — the ramp-up period has been much shorter than anticipated.
Top-100 recruit Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 17 points per game and looking like a bona-fide pro through just five games. His quick adaptation to the college game is reminiscent of Malaki Branham last year.
Point guard Bruce Thornton, a clone of veteran transfer guard Isaac Likekele, has started every contest and added muscle to the perimeter.
Big man Felix Okpara has provided key backup minutes for star forward Key, and even Roddy Gayle Jr. has filled in admirably on the wing.
That’s four freshmen ahead of schedule.
OSU’s offense has been humming through the early going, even looking solid against San Diego State while producing 1.07 points per possession.
While the ball can sometimes stick on the perimeter, being able to play through Key on the block or giving the ball to Justice Sueing for a late-clock attempt has made scoring a relative ease.
Also, Sean McNeil, a West Virginia transfer, gives OSU a major 3-point weapon.
The Buckeyes had no trouble picking apart the Bearcats' defense, but Texas Tech will prove to be a bigger challenge.
Defensively, OSU doesn’t force many turnovers, but the Buckeyes have a ton of physical players to body opponents. No player in the rotation weighs less than 200 pounds, and Thornton is the shortest of the bunch at 6-foot-2.
Scoring in the paint doesn’t come easy against this squad — you must be able to shoot. San Diego State was able to do just that (hitting 10 long-balls), but it’ll be interesting to see if Tech can repeat the performance.
Texas Tech vs. Ohio State Betting Picks
Which relative weakness will win out? Tech’s offense ranks just 60th nationally (per KenPom) while OSU’s defense currently sits at 50th.
In this situation, it’s often prudent to look to see if either team is elite on the other end.
Tech is elite on defense while OSU’s offense is great but not quite elite. There’s reason to believe Tech’s physicality and positioning can match the Buckeyes', and perhaps the well-oiled system will give a young OSU squad some fits.
On the total, I’d lean the under. Tech’s defense should give OSU resistance, and Tech’s offense can’t really punish OSU on D.
From a side perspective, I’m taking the Red Raiders, a team I trust just a little more at this juncture.
Picks: Texas Tech -1 ⋅ Under 133.5 |
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