The last time the Ohio State Buckeyes faced the Iowa Hawkeyes, Jake Diebler’s program was beaten by 17 points.
However, that one-sided loss on February 25 served as a turning point for the Buckeyes. Ohio State followed that defeat with three straight victories and secured a double bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
That puts the Hawkeyes on the wrong side of the rest edge, playing for the second straight day after knocking off Maryland in Round 2 on Tuesday.
Our Iowa vs. Ohio State predictions call for a little revenge in the Windy City, with my college basketball picks backing the Buckeyes to cover as short underdogs on Thursday, March 12.
Iowa vs Ohio State prediction
Iowa vs Ohio State best bet
Iowa vs Ohio State best bet: Ohio State +1 (-116)
Looking at the Ohio State Buckeyes’ final stretch of Big Ten play, that bad loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes seems like an aberration.
Ohio State finished the final month of conference play at 6-4 SU (7-3 ATS), with the other defeats coming against Michigan, Virginia, and Michigan State. In fact, OSU posted the fifth-highest net rating in the conference during that span.
Iowa, which backed into the postseason on a 2-6 SU slide (3-5 ATS), needed an insane 31-4 run for that win over the Buckeyes. An exhausted Hawkeyes squad will get Ohio State’s best in this Big Ten rematch.
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Iowa vs Ohio State same-game parlay
The Hawkeyes shot 76% from 2-point range in that win over Ohio State. Iowa won’t have that same success in the United Center.
Game models call for a tight battle, but I’m giving the nod to the OSU offense, especially with the way it can draw fouls and cash in from the line.
Outside of a bad night in Iowa, Bruce Thornton has been a beast. The Buckeyes guard has scored 18 or more in seven of his last eight games. Projections call for as many as 24 points on Wednesday.
Bennett Stirtz has fired up seven or more 3-point attempts in four straight games. He went 3-for-6 from distance in the win over Ohio State last month.
Iowa vs Ohio State SGP
- Ohio State +1
- Bruce Thornton Over 17.5 points
- Bennett Stritz Over 2.5 threes
Our beyond the arc SGP: Royal Flush
The Buckeyes burn with revenge after that embarrassing loss in Iowa.
Models call for as many as 145 combined points, and Devin Royal should crash the glass for 6+ boards.
Iowa vs Ohio State SGP
- Ohio State +1
- Over 140.5
- Bruce Thornton Over 17.5 points
- Devin Royal Over 5.5 rebounds
Iowa vs Ohio State odds
- Spread: Iowa -1 (-110) | Ohio State +1 (-110)
- Moneyline: Iowa -115 | Ohio State -105
- Over/Under: Over 140.5 (-110) | Under 140.5 (-110)
Iowa vs Ohio State betting trend to know
Ohio State is 6-3 ATS with a rest advantage this season. Find more college basketball betting trends for Iowa vs. Ohio State.
How to watch Iowa vs Ohio State
| Location | United Center, Chicago, IL |
| Date | Thursday, March 12, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 12:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | Big Ten Network |
Iowa vs Ohio State key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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