The Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, NE. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
Nebraska is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -126. The total is set at 143.5 points.
Here are my Ohio State vs. Nebraska predictions and college basketball picks for February 9, 2025.
Ohio State vs Nebraska Prediction
My Pick: Ohio State ML +105 (Play to -110)
My Ohio State vs Nebraska best bet is on the Buckeyes moneyline, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Ohio State vs Nebraska Odds
| Ohio State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -106 | 143.5 -114 / -106 | +105 |
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -114 | 143.5 -114 / -106 | -126 |
- Ohio State vs Nebraska spread: Nebraska -1.5
- Ohio State vs Nebraska over/under: 143.5 points
- Ohio State vs Nebraska moneyline: Nebraska -126, Ohio State +105
- Ohio State vs Nebraska best bet: Ohio State ML +105 (Play to -110)
Spread
I think the Buckeyes win this game straight up.
Moneyline
I'm taking the Ohio State moneyline.
Over/Under
I have no play on the total.
My Pick: Ohio State ML +105 (Play to -110)
Ohio State vs Nebraska College Basketball Betting Preview
Nebraska has shifted its season in the span of a few weeks. The Cornhuskers went from a tournament afterthought after losing six consecutive Big Ten games to the bubble following a clutch three-game winning streak.
The biggest reason for the Huskers' rise is an offensive surge headed by star Brice Williams. He’s the Huskers' engine, scoring 21+ points in every game during this winning streak.
Now is the time to sell the Huskers, though. They jumped from No. 53 to No. 41 in KenPom in the last two weeks.
Also, it’s not like Nebraska is overly dominant in Lincoln like everyone thinks. It lost games to Rutgers and USC in Pinnacle Bank Arena — two teams vastly worse than Ohio State.
Why don't I buy Nebraska? Well, it lucked out in the shooting variance department. Illinois shot below 25% from 3 and it still pushed the Huskers to overtime.
Nebraska is a defensive-first squad, ranking 33rd in efficiency on that end. The interesting nugget is the Huskers allow opponents to attempt 3s at a 49.8% clip (360th nationally), so that’ll lead to a lot of variance from game-to-game.
Moreover, I don’t know where Nebraska is scoring if Williams doesn’t go off. Juwan Gary is the Huskers' second-leading scorer (12.3 PPG) and Connor Essegian is third (11.3 PPG).
Sometimes the best offense is Williams getting to the hoop and drawing a foul.
I buy more into Ohio State’s hot streak than Nebraska’s. The Buckeyes have reeled off wins in four of their past five games, with the lone loss coming in Champaign versus Illinois. They controlled that game for 85% of it until Will Riley erupted late.
The Buckeyes have a great formula to beat Nebraska’s defense: They have a good amount of shooting, connecting on 37% of their shots from deep. They’ll have ample opportunities to shoot thanks to the Bruce Thornton, John Mobley Jr. and Micah Parrish trio.
Thornton has morphed into one of the top guards in America, averaging 17 points and four assists while shooting 46% from 3. I love the way Mobley compliments Thornton with his 40% shooting stroke and unlimited range, and that’ll be a factor here.
There could be an angle to fade the Buckeyes, as their defense could be due for some regression. Ohio State has held opponents to 28% from downtown — a fairly unsustainable number.
I’ll table that angle for the future for one key reason: Nebraska isn’t built to take advantage of the regression. The only two two real shooters are Williams and Essegian, and the latter is a total defensive liability.
Also, I like the matchup on the interior. Devin Royal is maybe the most underrated player in the Big Ten with his two-way ability as a small-ball four next to rangy seven-footer Aaron Bradshaw.
I’m too enamored with Ohio State’s guard advantage to avoid it in this matchup. With how hot the Buckeyes are — both at home and on the road — I have to back them here.
