Purdue vs Ohio State Odds & Prediction: How to Bet Big Ten Battle

Let's dive into the Purdue vs. Ohio State odds and make a prediction in our Big Ten college basketball betting preview for Sunday, Feb. 18.

Purdue has not been tested much in Big Ten play this season, but it found itself down eight at halftime against Minnesota on Thursday night. The Boilermakers rallied for an 84-76 victory and win their ninth straight game.

With the win, Purdue improved to 23-2 overall and 12-2 in the Big Ten. On Sunday afternoon, it will head to Columbus in search of its eighth double-digit win in conference play when it takes on Ohio State.

The Buckeyes lost 62-54 at Wisconsin on Tuesday night, falling to 4-10 in the Big Ten and 13th place in the conference. The team's struggles this season led to the ousting of head coach Chris Holtmann after seven seasons. Jake Diebler will take over the interim role for the rest of the season as the team looks to finish the year on a high note.

Diebler's tenure may get off to a rough start against Purdue, particularly considering the recent history in this series. Purdue has won four straight and eight of the last 10 meetings. This time around, it is a 7.5-point favorite in Columbus.

Let's get to our Purdue vs. Ohio State preview and pick.

Last season, Zach Edey was a consensus All-American and the Naismith Player of the Year. At this point, he's a heavy favorite to repeat. The senior is averaging 23.3 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 61% from the field.

Edey will be in search of his 10th consecutive double-double Sunday, and he averaged 24.6 points and 12 rebounds in three meetings against Ohio State last season.

Another double-double candidate in this game is guard Braden Smith. The sophomore has two double-doubles in his past six games and nearly missed two more. Against the Golden Gophers, he had 16 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. For the season, he is averaging 12.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game.

Edey and Smith lead a Boilermakers attack that has been humming.

They rank second in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency and sixth in scoring (85 PPG). They are also 11th in effective field goal percentage and fifth in 3-point percentage. Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Mason Gillis all are shooting over 40% from 3 while guard Lance Jones leads the team with 54 triples.

Jones, a Southern Illinois transfer, has provided a two-way presence for Purdue this season. He's averaging 12.8 points and 1.4 steals this season. Jones has accounted for nearly a quarter of Purdue's steals this season, as the team ranks just 275th in steals percentage and 333rd in turnover percentage.

However, Purdue has still been difficult to score on this season.

It ranks 18th in adjusted defensive efficiency and is fourth in the Big Ten in conference play. Edey changes many shots at the rim and opponents are making just 47% of their 2s against Purdue.

The Boilermakers are also strong on the glass, ranking in the top 15 in the country in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

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Sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle Jr. and Felix Okpara make up the core of Ohio State's team.

Thornton leads the team with 15.8 points and 4.2 assists per game while Gayle is averaging 14.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Okpara leads the team with 6.7 rebounds per game and is second in the Big Ten with 2.5 blocks per game.

This season, Ohio State is 45th in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, but it's just eighth in the Big Ten in conference play.

The Buckeyes are average shooting from 3 (33.9%) and on 2-point attempts (50.7%). Only Jamison Battle is shooting above 40% from 3 (43%) and he is second in the Big Ten in 3s made per game. He joins Thornton and Gayle as the Buckeyes' third double-digit scorer.

Ohio State is ninth in the Big Ten in scoring at 74 points per game. As a result, it has lost nine of its past 11 games. However, its failure to string stops together has not helped matters either.

It is 122nd in adjusted defensive efficiency and 12th in Big Ten play.

Like Edey, Okpara can make it difficult for opponents to score inside, but the Buckeyes are allowing teams to shoot 35.9% from 3, which ranks 323rd in the country. That is certainly an issue against Purdue. Last season, the Boilermakers shot 43.5% from distance and made 27 triples in three victories over Ohio State last season.

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It remains as hard as ever to get a road win in the Big Ten this season. Home teams have won over 70% of conference games this season while covering in 56% of them. Yet, that has not daunted Purdue this season.

The Boilermakers are 5-2 outright and 4-3 against the spread on the road in conference play this season. They are 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings against Ohio State. Purdue won the last two meetings by 27 and 14 points.

Okpara is a year older and more experienced from last year's matchups. However, conservatively, Edey is a safe bet for 20 points and 10 rebounds most nights. Additionally, if Ohio State devotes more resources to doubling him, it will open itself up to open 3s.

KenPom projects Purdue as a 9-point favorite, but we only need the Boilermakers to win by eight points here. I'll happily take the 1.5 points of value.

Pick: Purdue -7.5