Texas vs Ohio State prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball
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It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Texas-Ohio State prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Texas-Ohio State.
This is a neutral-site game in Las Vegas as the college basketball season begins. Take note of that detail from a betting standpoint.
Texas made the Elite Eight in 2023. Coach Rodney Terry took over from the dismissed Chris Beard and led the Longhorns to a deep March run. Last season, Texas faced a much bigger uphill battle in an absolutely loaded Big 12 Conference. The Longhorns made the NCAA Tournament and won a game, but they had a No. 7 seed in 2024, unlike the No. 2 seed they gained in 2023. Texas didn’t have the horses needed to make an especially long journey in March Madness. The Horns lost to No. 2 seed Tennessee in the second round.
The general expectation for Texas heading into its first season as an SEC basketball member is that the Longhorns should once again win a game in the NCAA Tournament. As was the case last season, however, it will be tough for Texas to finish high enough in its conference to get a high-enough seed which will lead to a favorable bracket path in March Madness. Texas is widely seen as a top-30 team in the country, but not necessarily a top-20 team with the weapons needed to reach the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight. The SEC is expected to get a large number of teams into the NCAA Tournament. Right now, as the season begins, Texas is expected to be in the middle of that SEC contingent in March, not necessarily in the top tier. If Terry can guide Texas to a top-five finish in the SEC, that would be an instance of overachievement. Texas has its work cut out for it as a new college basketball campaign gets underway.
Ohio State begins a new era under coach Jake Diebler, the brother of former Ohio State basketball star Jon Diebler. When Ohio State fired coach Chris Holtmann last season, Diebler stepped in and did a very good job as interim coach. It was instantly obvious that players responded to Diebler’s coaching and instruction. The team played hard and well and showed a considerable capacity for growth and development. It was easy to see that Diebler had earned the respect and trust of his players. When there is such obvious buy-in from athletes in connection with a coach, it seems natural to want that coach to continue to guide that program. So it was for Ohio State. The school wisely chose to remove the interim tag and make Diebler the permanent head coach. The Buckeyes have every reason to feel good about the direction of the program as a new season begins. This opener versus Texas will be a strong first test of Diebler’s coaching acumen. Now that he is no longer an interim coach with nothing to lose, the stakes are a lot higher at Ohio State.
Here are the Texas-Ohio State College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Texas-Ohio State Odds
Texas: -2.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -156
Ohio State: +2.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +130
Over: 146.5 (-110)
Under: 146.5 (-110)
How to Watch Texas vs Ohio State
Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
TV: TNT, TruTV
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Texas Will Cover The Spread/Win
Texas is the proven, established NCAA Tournament-caliber program. Ohio State has optimism about what it can become, but Texas has already become a quality program. The Longhorns are more advanced in their evolution and should naturally be able to handle this nonconference showcase in the opening game of the season. Ohio State faces more question marks than Texas does.
Why Ohio State Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Jake Diebler experience was a hit in an interim capacity. Now it should get even better with Diebler as the new permanent head coach. Diebler gets the most out of his players, a great reason to think the Buckeyes will be ready for the challenge posed by Texas.
Final Texas-Ohio State Prediction & Pick
There aren’t many Day 1 games we are interested in betting on in college hoops, but riding with Ohio State and Jake Diebler is one of the calls we are willing to make. Take the Buckeyes here.
Final Texas-Ohio State Prediction & Pick: Ohio State moneyline
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