Ohio State vs UConn Picks, Props & Betting Splits (Nov 13)
By Michael Schwartz in College Basketball
Published:
- The #4 UConn Huskies host the Ohio State Buckeyes as heavy home favorites
- Look for betting value in a contrarian spread pick and John Mobley Jr prop
- Offensive firepower suggests an over despite a suffocating Huskies defense
How to Watch Ohio State vs UConn
Putting a pristine 3-0 record on the line, the #4 UConn Huskies welcome the Ohio State Buckeyes for a high-profile non-conference showdown. Tip-off is scheduled for this evening at 07:30 PM ET at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, CT. National broadcast coverage spans TNT, truTV, and HBO Max.
UConn aims to defend their home court tonight as a massive favorite. The Huskies look poised to factor into March Madness champion odds as the season progresses.
Ohio State arrives carrying tangible momentum. The Buckeyes have rattled off a two-game winning streak and will look to make a definitive statement while embracing the road underdog role.
For value-seeking bettors, this matchup poses a compelling question: Can the unranked Buckeyes generate enough offense to cover the double-digit spread, or will the highly touted Huskies dictate the pace to keep their perfect season intact?
📊 The Best Bets:
- Against the Spread: Ohio State +11.5 (-108 at Novig) – Claim the NOVIG PROMO CODE today
- Over/Under: Over 147.5 points (-104 / 51¢ at Kalshi)
- Player Prop: John Mobley Jr Over 17.5 Points (-115 at BetMGM)
When evaluating the college basketball odds for this matchup, early-season metrics provide crucial context. While both teams boast impressive offensive capabilities, their defensive profiles and strength of schedule tell diverging stories.
Ohio State vs UConn Stats
At first glance, UConn has been downright dominant, surrendering a meager 54.7 points per game. However, strength of schedule metrics offer a valuable caveat. Ohio State has faced a significantly tougher early slate, marked by a 0.6157 SOS that dwarfs the 0.5000 SOS faced by UConn. The Huskies’ elite defensive numbers are slightly inflated by a softer opening schedule.
Offensively, the two teams mirror one another almost perfectly. Ohio State edges UConn by a razor-thin margin in scoring, averaging 85.3 points per game compared to 84.7 for the hosts. Despite hitting the road for a hostile environment, Ohio State boasts the offensive firepower necessary to stay within the 11.5-point spread. The Buckeyes feature three starters averaging at least 15 points per game: John Mobley Jr (19.3 PPG), Amare Bynum (15.0 PPG), and Andrija Jelavić (15.0 PPG).
Mobley Jr is a highly effective offensive engine for Ohio State. Operating with a 22.49% usage rate, he is shooting an efficient 53.1% from the field and an incredible 94.4% from the charity stripe. Backing Mobley Jr to clear his points prop of Over 17.5 (-115 at BetMGM) is a logical value play considering he averages a team-high 32 minutes per contest.
On the other side of the floor, the Huskies are fully capable of exploiting mismatches to run up the score, which supports taking the Over on the 147.5-point total. Buying “Yes” on the Over at Kalshi for 51¢ presents better value than standard -110 sportsbook pricing. Braylon Mullins (17.7 PPG) and Silas Demary Jr (14.7 PPG, 5.3 assists per game) have been exceptional at generating high-percentage looks for UConn. Demary Jr is a prime candidate to produce against a defense allowing 77.7 points per game, and bettors can find his consensus points prop set at 15.5.
With efficient secondary options like UConn’s Nik Khamenia (10.7 PPG, 61.9% FG) and Ohio State’s Bynum (56.0% FG) stepping up, offenses should dictate the tempo. The Buckeyes’ ability to score consistently should prevent a lopsided blowout, allowing them to cover the generous spread, while the combined scoring depth points squarely to a high-scoring Over.
Ohio State vs UConn Best Odds
💰 Current Market Odds:
Odds as of November 13 at Kalshi.
The betting landscape reflects the narrative of a dominant home team hosting a capable but outmatched visitor. While traditional sportsbooks list the Huskies at an unplayable -769 on the moneyline and the Buckeyes at +525, checking alternative markets reveals better prices. Buying “Yes” on UConn to win at Kalshi for 86¢ offers a better return than the standard market, as does grabbing Ohio State for 15¢.
To map out how oddsmakers view this matchup without the sportsbook’s built-in profit margin, the normalized, vig-free probabilities calculate cleanly. Standard raw moneyline odds give UConn an implied win probability of 88.49% and Ohio State an implied probability of 16.00%. Stripping away the 4.49% house edge reveals that the Huskies have an 84.7% true probability of protecting their home court, while the Buckeyes hold a 15.3% chance of pulling off the outright upset.
For bettors weighing risk versus reward on the standard market, the payouts contrast heavily. A $10 bet on the favored Huskies (-769 at MGM) yields a microscopic $1.30 in profit, resulting in an $11.30 total payout. Conversely, placing that same $10 on the underdog Buckeyes (+525 at MGM) returns an attractive $52.50 in profit for a total payout of $62.50 if they can shock the college basketball world on the road.
Ohio State vs UConn Betting Splits
Examining college basketball public betting reveals a definitive stance from the public across all major markets.
The public is overwhelmingly backing the hometown Huskies to cover the 11.5-point spread. UConn has drawn 70.69% of the spread tickets and a robust 72.35% of the total handle. Ohio State is seeing just 29.31% of the tickets and 27.65% of the money. Taking Ohio State +11.5 requires playing the role of the contrarian against a market heavily invested in a blowout.
While the spread prediction opposes the public, forecasting a high total aligns perfectly with the consensus. Bettors are heavily anticipating an offensive showcase, with the OVER commanding 81.19% of the tickets and a massive 83.23% of the total money. The UNDER is drawing minimal action, seeing just 18.81% of the bets and 16.77% of the handle.
Unsurprisingly, virtually no one is brave enough to back Ohio State to pull off the outright upset on the moneyline. A staggering 98.48% of the tickets and a near-unanimous 99.69% of the total stake are backing UConn to win straight up. Because both ticket volume and financial handle heavily favor the same sides across the board, there are currently no sharp versus public divides indicating that “smart money” is actively fading the betting majority.
Enjoying our betting coverage? Want more picks, predictions, and analysis from our proven experts? Make SBD a preferred source in your Google searches!
Michael brings 25+ years of sports media experience, including 19 years as a Sportsnet producer. Having covered the Olympics, Stanley Cups, World Cups, NBA Finals, Super Bowls, World Series, tennis, and golf, he finds sharp edges in the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, college sports, tennis, and golf.