The Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Pittsburgh Panthers in Pittsburgh, PA. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Ohio State is favored by -5.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -230. The total is set at 145.5 points.
Here are my Ohio State vs. Pittsburgh predictions and college basketball picks for November 28, 2025.
Ohio State vs Pittsburgh Prediction
My Pick: Ohio State -5.5
My Ohio State vs Pittsburgh best bet is on the Buckeyes to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Ohio State vs. Pittsburgh Odds
| Ohio State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 145.5 -110o / -110u | -230 |
| Pittsburgh Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 145.5 -110o / -110u | +190 |
- Ohio State vs Pittsburgh spread: Ohio State -5.5
- Ohio State vs Pittsburgh over/under: 145.5 points
- Ohio State vs Pittsburgh moneyline: Ohio State -230, Pittsburgh +190
Ohio State vs Pittsburgh College Basketball Betting Preview
Ohio State Basketball
Ohio State will look to control the tempo, as it's posting the 139th-quickest pace in America. The Buckeyes only played one top-200 opponent in their first six games, and it was a close win over Notre Dame.
Despite playing “cupcakes," I’m buying stock in the Buckeyes.
One of their issues last season was a lack of true interior scoring big. In adding seven-footer Christoph Tilly, Ohio State now has a dominant scoring post player who's totally transformed this offense.
Not to mention, Tilly is a hub for Ohio State. He’s comfortable handling the ball, dishing 3.5 assists per game, while adding 16.2 points.
Ohio State leads the country in 2-point field goal percentage at 67%. The efficiency from Tilly and Bruce Thornton (shooting over 60% from the field) also helps.
Thornton is also lighting rims on fire from deep, shooting 60% from downtown. His backcourt mate, John Mobley Jr., can shoot it from the logo and is shooting 39% from deep. Having a big man like Tilly who can pass opens up the floor for both guards to operate as scorers.
The Buckeyes' issue last season was defense. I'm not sure what to expect from their defense in 2025-26 as the schedule stiffens, but Pittsburgh isn't the team to expose the defensive problems.
Similar to last season, Ohio State has trouble stopping teams from scoring inside — opponents shoot 52.3% from 2-point range. It's less about the bigs defending and more about the position the guards put them in.
Thornton and Mobley form a brutal defensive backcourt, and it strains the backend of Ohio State's defense.
Pittsburgh Basketball
Pittsburgh has been thoroughly outplayed in two games against high-major foes, losing by 10 to UCF and by 22 to West Virginia. The Jeff Capel era hit rock bottom on Sunday, when Pitt lost at home to Quinnipiac.
Can the Panthers bounce back? I’m skeptical. They just don’t have a lot of talent. Big man Cameron Corhen leads Pittsburgh with 14.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. He has to shoulder a lot of the scoring load due to the inefficient guard play.
Brandin Cummings is the best guard on Pitt’s roster, but a lingering lower-body injury held him out against Quinnipiac. He needs to play for the Panthers to have any chance against the Buckeyes.
Every guard (including Cummings) on Pittsburgh’s roster — except Damarco Minor — has been terribly inefficient. Freshman Omari Witherspoon is a real upside option, but he’s shooting 41% from the field.
Iowa State transfer Nojus Indrusaitis is a bit of a chucker, shooting 39% from the field. Lastly, Barry Dunning Jr. is a long-armed, 6-foot-6 wing who refuses to drive and makes 36% from the field.
That’s why the Panthers' offense is shooting a woeful 51.7% from inside the arc. 3-point shooting is the catalyst of any offensive success for them, as they're hitting 35% from deep.
Pittsburgh will look to slow the game down and keep it low scoring. It ranks 344th in adjusted tempo, but playing slow is harmful when an offense turns the ball over at a 19% clip.
Turning the ball over that often while playing one of the slowest tempos in America is a cardinal sin.
Ohio State vs. Pittsburgh Betting Analysis
I'm backing the Buckeyes on the road. I talked about how guards — like Notre Dame's Markus Burton — can expose Ohio State on defense.
Thankfully, Pittsburgh doesn't have Burton — or anyone like him. Minor is the best option to feast on the Buckeyes' defense.
This Pittsburgh team is one of the worst high-major squads in America, and I'll look to fade it against a potential top-25 team.
My Pick: Ohio State -5.5
