There was a time just a week ago when the home team would automatically be the pick in the February 20th Ohio State at Iowa betting pick. Penn State and Rutgers have both fallen at home in the last two nights though and all of a sudden the Hawkeyes’ 12-1 record in Iowa City doesn’t make them an automatic play.
Big 10 teams seem to be finding a way to win on the road as the season winds down. Iowa is a -2.5 favorite Thursday after winning 11 straight at Carver-Hawkeye but OSU has won 5 of their last 6. Ohio State lost this meeting by 10 in Iowa City last season, more of the same to come?
Oddsmakers Liking the Buckeyes?
Ohio State is mirroring their rivals Michigan this season as both teams started the season on fire, went through a rough patch, and now are starting to get hot down the stretch. OSU began the year 11-1, lost 6 of their next 7, and now comes into the February 20th Ohio State at Iowa betting pick the winners of 5 of their last 6.
OSU’s recent run is impressive, but they’ve also been at least -5.5 favorites in 4 of the last 6. The Buckeyes are an OK 3-5 going away this season, but they did prove their mettle on the road in a 61-58 victory in Ann Arbor on February 4th as 3 point underdogs.
Can the Buckeyes’ defense travel on Thursday? Ohio State ranks 12th in the nation in allowing just 61.4 ppg but Iowa has three 85+ point outbursts in their last three at home. Iowa won a 72-62 meeting at home last January 12th, but when the teams met up in Columbus at the end of February it was a 90-70 Buckeyes win. The O/U for the only ’20 meeting is 144.
Iowa Back Home on Thursday
The Hawkeyes have rattled off 11 straight wins on their home court this season. Overall Iowa looks like they may be in a mini-slump heading into Thursday’s game with a 2-2 record over their last 4 but only one of those was in Iowa City.
The Hawks’ are at home here, trying to close a 1-game deficit on Penn State for 2nd place in the conference. Iowa is also battling some injuries though with CJ Fredrick possibly missing the OSU game with an ankle injury. Of course Iowa still has Luka Garza to lean on with his 21+ points in 10 straight games, but Joe Wieskamp needs a bounce back after scoring just 2 points on Sunday in Minnesota.
February 20th Ohio State at Iowa Betting Pick
The Buckeyes looked good on the road in Ann Arbor scoring a 3-point win over the Wolverines, but they’ve also lost by 13 in Madison over the last three games. It’s hard to gauge just how good Iowa is at Carver-Hawkeye recently because they’ve only played one game there in the last two weeks.
The Hawks are good at home – and have one of the best players in the country on the home stretch of trying to get a couple POY votes.
Pick: Iowa Hawkeyes -2.5
