The Auburn Tigers take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Atlanta, GA. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Auburn is favored by 11.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -675. The total is set at 154 points.
Here are my Auburn vs. Ohio State predictions and college basketball picks for December 14, 2024.
Auburn vs Ohio State Prediction
My Pick: Over 151.5 (Play to 154.5)
My Auburn vs Ohio State best bet is on the over, with the best odds currently available at BetRivers. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Auburn vs Ohio State Odds
| Auburn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11.5 -105 | 154 -110 / -110 | +490 |
| Ohio State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11.5 -115 | 154 -110 / -110 | -675 |
- Auburn vs Ohio State spread: Auburn -11.5
- Auburn vs Ohio State over/under: 154 points
- Auburn vs Ohio State moneyline: Auburn -675, Ohio State +490
- Auburn vs Ohio State best bet: Over 151.5 (Play to 154.5)
Spread
I'm avoiding the spread.
Moneyline
I have no play on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I'm targeting the over between two high-powered offenses.
My Pick: Over 151.5 (Play to 154.5)
Auburn vs Ohio State College Basketball Betting Preview
Auburn Basketball
Last year, Auburn's season ended in disappointment, as it was upset as a four seed by Yale in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
This year's team looks an early contender to cut down the nets in San Antonio next spring. Auburn is 8-1 and enters this matchup ranked as the No. 2 team in the AP Poll. Half of the Tigers' victories have come against top-40 competition, as they have defeated No. 3 Iowa State, No. 15 Houston, North Carolina and Memphis.
Auburn is the No. 1 team on KenPom, and the nation's most efficient offense leads the way.
Head coach Bruce Pearl got his star forward Johni Broome back for another season, and he is off to a dominant start. The fifth-year senior is averaging 19.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.8 blocks per game.
Broome is one of six Tigers averaging just about 10 points per game. Three of them (Chad Baker-Mazara, Tahaad Pettiford and Miles Kelly) are shooting over 40% from beyond the arc. However, the Tigers still make their hay around the rim, converting 61.7% of their 2s, which is the fourth-best rate in the country.
On the other end of the floor, the Tigers rank 22nd in adjusted defensive efficiency. They do not force many turnovers, but they do make it difficult to score around the rim. Opponents are converting just 43.2% of their 2-point attempts against the Tigers.
Center Dylan Cardwell gives the Tigers a strong interior presence next to Broome, as he is averaging just about two blocks per 36 minutes.
Ohio State Basketball
Ohio State suffered an overtime loss at home to Pitt and was blown out at Maryland. However, last time out, it was able bounce back with an 80-66 victory over Rutgers to get to 6-3 on the year.
Like Auburn, Ohio State is a balanced team on both ends of the floor, as it ranks 21st in adjusted offensive efficiency and 37th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
If it's going to pull an upset, it will likely need to get hot from deep. However, this season, that has not been an issue. The Buckeyes are the fifth-best 3-point shooting team in the country at 41.6%.
The Buckeyes' top scorers on the perimeter — guards Bruce Thornton (16.2 PPG) and John Mobley Jr. (12.9 PPG) — are both shooting over 50% from deep and are making nearly five 3s per game combined. Thornton, an Alpharetta, GA, native, should be motivated playing back in home state.
Sophomore forward Devin Royal is averaging 14.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season. He is averaging 19.3 points over his past three games. However, he will have his hands full with Broome on the interior.
Ohio State is holding opponents to 45% on 2-point attempts and 27% on 3-point attempts. However, it will be at a size disadvantage against Auburn, and that could hurt it on the glass.
Ohio State is 183rd in offensive rebound percentage this season.
Auburn vs. Ohio State Betting Analysis
Considering the offenses in this game, there may be some value on the total. Auburn is averaging 87 points per game this season, and it has scored 80 or points in six of its nine games. As a result, the over has hit in six of those games.
Ohio State is averaging 82 points per game this season. While the over is 4-5 in Ohio State games this season, it has hit in three of the Buckeyes' last five games.
Combined, these teams put up 169 points per game, and KenPom projects this total at 155 points. However, 152 will cash this over.
