The Pittsburgh Panthers take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, OH. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Ohio State is favored by 3.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -162. The total is set at 147 points.
Here’s my Pitt vs Ohio State predictions and college basketball picks for November 29, 2024.
Pitt vs Ohio State Prediction
My Pick: Ohio State -2.5
My Pitt vs Ohio State best bet is on the Buckeyes spread, 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.
Pitt vs Ohio State Odds
| Pitt Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -110 | 147 -112o / -108u | +136 |
| Ohio State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -110 | 147 -112o / -108u | -162 |
- Pitt vs Ohio State spread: Ohio State -3
- Pitt vs Ohio State over/under: 147.5 points
- Pitt vs Ohio State moneyline: Ohio State -162, Pitt +136
- Pitt vs Ohio State best bet: Ohio State -2.5
Spread
I'm taking the Buckeyes on the spread.
Moneyline
I'm passing on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I have no play on the total.
My Pick: Ohio State -2.5
Pitt vs Ohio State College Basketball Betting Preview
Pitt Basketball
Believe it or not, Pittsburgh is now the second-highest-ranked ACC team in KenPom.
The Panthers enter at 6-1, with a pair of wins over high-major teams — West Virginia in Pittsburgh and LSU at the Greenbrier. However, Pittsburgh lost as favorites to Wisconsin in the Greenbrier Tip-Off title game, so it's hoping to spurn a two-game losing streak.
Of important note, Pittsburgh's roster took a huge blow since the LSU win, with Damian Dunn suffering an injury against Wisconsin.
The Panthers' backcourt depth is very young. Freshman guard Brandin Cummings will need to step in and help replace Dunn's 11.1 points per game and 52% shooting.
Additionally, Pittsburgh relies on guards Jaland Lowe and Ishmael Leggett for a majority of its scoring. Although neither are great perimeter shooters, they put pressure on the rim.
Leggett is shooting 56% from the field while leading the team in rebounding. Good luck stopping Leggett when he gets a favorable switch on a pick-and-roll, as he's shooting 80% on layups and tallies 1.138 PPP in pick-and-rolls (per Synergy).
Meanwhile, Lowe has morphed into an elite do-it-all point guard, averaging 15 points, five rebounds and five assists per game. Jeff Capel could use more efficient scoring from Lowe, though. He's Pitt's star, but he's shooting just 38% from the field and 29% from 3.
So, where else can the short-handed Panthers attack Ohio State? I'd imagine Capel wants to expose Ohio State's smaller interior with 6-foot-10 Cameron Corhen and 7-footer Guillermo Diaz Graham.
Adding Cohren from Florida State is a major plus for Pittsburgh's pick-and-roll attack. He's shooting 70% from the field and is a great finisher.
The Panthers will look to introduce the pick-and-roll game early and often.
Ohio State Basketball
What's the hardest thing to do in college basketball? Win a road game, particularly in the Big Ten.
The Buckeyes are very thin on the interior, and Aaron Bradshaw is away from the team. Without Bradshaw, Ohio State lacks a true rim-protecting threat, so the pressure is on Sean Stewart and smaller glue guys, Devin Royal and Evan Mahaffey.
Ohio State has flashed one of the sport's most efficient offenses, largely thanks to an elite perimeter shooting attack (43% from 3).
The Buckeyes rank seventh nationally in effective field goal percentage while holding opponents to the third-worst effective field goal percentage. That's not a bad combo.
Bruce Thornton and Meechie Johnson Jr. shooting over 40% from 3 isn't surprising. Johnson led South Carolina in scoring last year, and he's a perfect compliment to OSU's star point guard.
Thornton is more than just a scorer, though. He leads the Buckeyes with 5.8 assists and has a knack for finding open teammates.
The surprise is freshman sniper John Mobley Jr. The dazzling newcomer connects on 59% of his shots from 3. While Mobley likely won't shoot almost 60% from 3 all year, he's established himself as a premier marksman.
Pitt vs Ohio State Betting Analysis
Shooting will dictate which team wins here. Ohio State and Pittsburgh attempt 3s on over 40% of their field goal attempts, but the Buckeyes shoot it way better.
Not having Bradshaw is a blow, but I trust Royal and Stewart. They are smaller than Pittsburgh's bigs, but they have the toughness and rebounding to neutralize Diaz Graham and Corhen.
I'll take the home Buckeyes here. I don't buy into Pittsburgh as a top-15 team like KenPom indicates. The depth isn't there, and missing Dunn will expose that issue.
