The Ohio State Buckeyes (9-5) travel to face off against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-6) on Monday, January 6th. This game will be played at Williams Arena in Minneapolis and televised on FS1. Both Ohio State and Minnesota will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 ET.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs Minnesota Golden Gophers

The Buckeyes Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Ohio State dropped to 9-5 on the season after a 69-62 loss to Michigan State on Friday. The Buckeyes, who were -2.5 favorites at home, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 131, falling short of the 149.5 O/U line.

Ohio State trailed 37-29 at halftime but tightened things up in the second half, outscoring the Spartans 33-32. However, it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

The Golden Gophers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Minnesota’s season record dropped to 8-6 after an 81-61 home loss to Purdue on Thursday. The Golden Gophers entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 142, exceeding the over/under line of 135.5.

After trailing just 28-27 at halftime, Minnesota struggled in the second half, allowing 53 points while scoring only 34.

Buckeyes Offense Breakdown

Ohio State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 36.7% from the field and 25.9% from three-point range, finishing with 62 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 43.3%, and they managed 9 assists as a team.

Szymon Zapala was a bright spot, hitting 7 of 8 shots for 15 points in 23 minutes. Jaden Akins added 14 points, while Micah Parrish contributed 13, connecting on 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.

Golden Gophers Offense Breakdown

In their last game, the Golden Gophers shot 48.1% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 51.9%. They were strong inside, hitting 60% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 4 of 17 threes for a 23.5% shooting percentage.

Free-throw shooting was also an issue, as they connected on only 7 of 16 attempts (43.8%). They recorded 9 offensive rebounds and 17 assists in the game.

Buckeyes Team Defense

Ohio State’s defense held their opponent to 69 points on 36% shooting from the field. The Buckeyes limited two-point attempts to 15/33, while their three-point defense was even stronger, allowing just 7/27 (25%).

At the free-throw line, Ohio State’s opponent shot 68%, making 11 of 16 attempts. The Buckeyes gave up 15 offensive rebounds in the game.

Golden Gophers Team Defense

Even with Ohio State giving up 15 offensive rebounds, their defense held firm, allowing just 69 points. The Buckeyes limited their opponents to 36% shooting from the field, with 22 made baskets on 60 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Ohio State’s defense was effective, holding the opposing team to 7/27 shooting, or 25%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 16 times, where they converted 11 for 68%.

Buckeyes vs Golden Gophers Trends

• When looking at their past five road matchups, Ohio State has an ATS record of 2-3 while averaging 68 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
• Through their last three home games, Minnesota has an ATS record of just 0-3. However, their overall record was 0-3 while averaging 60 points per game.
• The last ten games that Minnesota was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 2-7-1 while going 1-9 straight up.
• Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Ohio State has an ATS mark of 7-3 while going 7-3 straight up.

Buckeyes vs Golden Gophers Prediction

As the underdogs with a spread of +5.5, we recommend going with the Golden Gophers on the point spread. We not only see them covering the spread but also have a strong likelihood of winning this one outright, especially if you’re seeking a higher payout on the moneyline.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 137.5, and our model predicts the Buckeyes and Golden Gophers to score a combined 145 points. We recommend betting on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.