Big Ten foes will lock horns when the Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-13) face the Ohio State Buckeyes (17-10) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Action begins at 7:00 pm ET on Saturday, Feb. 20 and can be seen on BTN.
The Cornhuskers are hoping to rebound after their 80-64 loss to Indiana on Wednesday. Andrew White III had a solid performance, recording 15 points, five rebounds, and three steals for Nebraska. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, are coming off a 76-66 win against Michigan on Tuesday. Marc Loving claimed his fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Over the last five games, White III has taken his game to another level for the Cornhuskers, averaging 20.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 3.0 three-pointers.
The Cornhuskers have gone 14-13 Straight Up (SU) and 13-11 Against The Spread (ATS).
In the other locker room, the Buckeyes have records of 14-13 ATS and 17-10 SU. The Buckeyes allow just 66.3 points per game, ranking them 47th in the nation. Blocking shots is an area where Ohio State has excelled. The Buckeyes average 5.4 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the nation.
These conference foes will be squaring off for the first time this season. In their most recent meeting a season ago, Ohio State came out on top, bumping its SU record over their most recent meetings to 8-1. With a 6-3 record, the Buckeyes also have the advantage ATS. In these last five matchups, Ohio State held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers twice, with Nebraska controlling all three of these areas once.
Predictions: SU Winner – Neb, ATS Winner – Neb
Notes
“Nebraska is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games “.
“Nebraska is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games “.
“The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Nebraska’s last 5 games “.
“Nebraska is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home”.
“Nebraska is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Ohio State”.
“Nebraska is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Ohio State”.
“The total has gone OVER in 4 of Nebraska’s last 5 games when playing Ohio State”.
Ohio State sits at 9-5 SU against its conference rivals, while Nebraska is 6-8 SU.
Ohio State averages 71.1 points per game, placing the team just 178th in the nation. Nebraska ranks 86th in points allowed, giving up 68.6 points per game.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have a defensive rating of 97.3 (ranked 47th), while the Nebraska Cornhuskers have an offensive rating of 108.8 (ranked 103rd).
The Ohio State Buckeyes average a field goal percentage of 44.7% this season. The Nebraska Cornhuskers have a subpar record of 2-9 when opponents have a FG% of 44.7% or greater.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Ohio State Buckeyes both rank higher in average field goal percentage when compared to their effective field goal percentages. Nebraska is 119th and 92nd in the nation for eFG% and FG% respectively, while Ohio State ranks 165th and 141st in these categories.
Ohio State, the 16th-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 5.4 per game. Nebraska ranks lower at 220th with 3.0.
Nebraska ranks 153rd in offensive rebounds, while Ohio State ranks 40th in defensive rebounds.
On average, Nebraska forces a turnover rate of 19.8%. When Ohio State turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a solid 8-5 record.
