Ohio St vs Michigan Gambling Lines
The 24th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will continue their trek through the always tough Big Ten tournament with a game against the eighth-ranked Michigan Wolverines on Saturday. [ad-4468020]
The Buckeyes have won three consecutive games by a combined total of just eight points, while the Wolverines have put a rough portion of their schedule behind them to win six games in a row.
Big Ten Tournament – Semifinal
24 Ohio State Buckeyes (25-8) vs. 8 Michigan Wolverines (24-7)
Date: Saturday, March 15, 2014
Time: 1:40 PM ET
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
City: Indianapolis, Indiana
Spread: Michigan -1.5
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Matchup Stats | ATS Insider Preview
These teams had been scheduled to play only a single time this season, a major disappointment as these teams have one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.
Michigan won that lone meeting in Columbus on Feb. 11, 70-60. The win was the second in a row for Michigan in the series, after Ohio State had won the previous two meetings.
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The Wolverines had been cruising along when they made the trip out to Indiana, winning their final five regular season games, but the team hit a real snag in their opener against Illinois.
The team’s lone regular season meeting with Illinois came back on Mar. 4, just 10 days prior, and the Wolverines won that one in Champaign by 31 points. Friday’s meeting wasn’t nearly as one-sided. The game went right down to the wire.
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Illinois held a 63-62 lead late until Wolverines forward Jordan Morgan hit a hook shot in the lane with 7.9 seconds remaining in regulation to put Michigan ahead by a point. Illinois got the game’s final shot and actually got a good look, but a floater came up short, and the Wolverines escaped with a victory.
Guard Nik Stauskas paced the team in scoring with 19 points despite a 4-of-12 shooting effort from the field, and knocking down just two of 10 shots from beyond the arc.
As for Ohio State, they haven’t had an easy time themselves, winning their two tournament games by a combined six points. On Thursday, the team beat Purdue 63-61, and on Friday, they beat Nebraska 71-67.
Forward LaQuinton Ross has really carried the team thus far, racking up 19 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks against Purdue, then following up that performance with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and two steals.
The Buckeyes will be looking for another big performance out of him to get back on track in their series with the Wolverines – prior to losing the last two, Ohio State had taken 17 of 20 from Michigan.
The Buckeyes will be playing their third game in as many days, and the fact that this comes as a huge emotional matchup against a heated rival could really weigh on Ohio State. Michigan has been the better team throughout the season, and will surely take joy in beating the Buckeyes for a second time.
The Buckeyes are 0-5 ATS in their last five games against Big Ten opponents.
The play: Michigan -1.5
