The Duke Blue Devils arrive in Columbus, Ohio as the nation’s No. 1 team, but they’ll face a stern test on Tuesday against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The matchup, part of 2021 ACC/Big Ten Challenge week, is the Blue Devils’ first nonconference road game in almost two years, and the Buckeyes have been hard to gauge so far. The Blue Devils (7-0) come in off a huge 84-81 victory against then-No. 1 Gonzaga on Friday night, while the Buckeyes (4-2) lost 71-68 to current No. 14 Florida last Wednesday. OSU has depth and talent but is trying to fit the pieces together after some key personnel losses.
Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET at Value City Arena. The Blue Devils are three-point favorites in the latest Duke vs. Ohio State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 147. Before making any Ohio State vs. Duke picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $2,100 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Duke vs. Ohio State. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Ohio State vs. Duke:
- Duke vs. Ohio State spread: Blue Devils -3
- Duke vs. Ohio State over-under: 147 points
- Duke vs. Ohio State money line: Duke -160, Ohio State +140
- Duke: It is 10-13 ATS as a road favorite since 2018.
- Ohio State: It is 27-25 ATS in home games since 2018.
Featured Game | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Duke Blue Devils
Why Duke can cover
Duke is 3-3 against the spread as a road favorite since the start of last season. It comes in with a huge amount of confidence after beating one of the nation’s most complete teams. Forwards Wendell Moore Jr., Paolo Banchero and center Mark Williams all had huge games. Moore and Banchero combined for 41 points, while Williams scored 17 and had nine rebounds. Five Blue Devils are scoring at least nine points, with Banchero averaging 18.3 and Moore at 17.9.
Duke is averaging 85.6 points per game (19th in Division I), 10 points more than OSU. The Buckeyes also give up 69.3 points per game (198th) while Duke allows 64.6 (110th). The Blue Devils are averaging 18.3 assists, tied for 13th in the nation, with Moore getting 5.7 per game. Moore and Banchero combine for just under 14 rebounds as Duke averages 39.4, almost four more than OSU. The Blue Devils are 10-14-2 as the favorite since the start of last season.
Why Ohio State can cover
Ohio State is 9-5 ATS against ranked opponents since the start of last season, and it beat Seton Hall last Monday before losing by just three to the Gators on Saturday. The Buckeyes are off to an uneven start while Justice Sueing is out with an abdominal injury, but they are a dangerous opponent. The Buckeyes shoot 47.6 percent from the field (64th in the nation) and 37.3 from 3-point range (75th), while Duke ranks 149th in field-goal percentage defense (41.3).
Forward E.J. Liddell has taken on more of the scoring load and is averaging 22.5 points per game. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound senior is tough inside and also can hit from long range, going 9-for-22 (40.9 percent) from beyond the arc. He blocks 3.8 shots and pulls down 6.2 rebounds per contest. Kyle Young averages 9.6 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds, and eight Buckeyes score at least five points per game. Justin Ahrens is hitting 48.3 percent from outside (14 of 29).
