The Michigan Wolverines head to Columbus for Round 2 of a rivalry matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The matchup sets up well for the Wolverines on both ends of the floor, and my Michigan vs. Ohio State predictions and college basketball picks expect them to roll to eight straight wins.
Michigan vs Ohio State prediction
Michigan vs Ohio State best bet: Michigan -9.5 (-110)
I projected this number to be 11.5. The Michigan Wolverines didn’t play well in the first matchup, even though they won by double-digits. However, that matchup highlighted some advantages the Wolverines have.
The Ohio State Buckeyes lean heavily on mid-range jumpers, post-ups, and pick-and-pop looks, and Michigan’s physically imposing lineup has cut those actions off. As you might expect, they were particularly strong in the middle of the floor, which is where OSU lives a ton.
On the other hand, Michigan has multiple ways to score efficiently. Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. give them a real interior edge, both as finishers and offensive rebounders, and Ohio State has struggled on the glass at times this season. That’s kind of a death sentence when facing Michigan.
Adding to that, Michigan’s bigs cutting the rim is the offense's bread and butter as they generate 1.29 points per possession on such action, and that’s exactly where Ohio State’s defense has been soft.
If the Buckeyes help inside, Nimari Burnett and Trey McKenney are good enough to punish rotations, and Elliot Cadeau’s assist rate shows up when defenses collapse. We saw a muted version of this in the first matchup, especially in the second half.
Michigan’s ability to score inside, win the glass, and force Ohio State into lower-quality shots gives them a clear edge. For the Buckeyes to hang, they’ll have to rely on Bruce Thornton being otherworldly on self-creation. He’s capable of it, but I’d rather take the team with more logical paths.
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Michigan vs Ohio State same-game parlay
I started my same-game parlay off with the first-half Under. The number is simply too high for a rematch between the two schools. Not even a month separates the two games.
The first matchup saw a first-half total in the 60s before both teams' nerves settled, and Michigan pulled away. I think we could see a similar scenario play out in this matchup.
The Wolverines have plenty of offensive advantages, but asking them to exploit those mismatches so early will be difficult in a charged environment. In other words, the defense travels early, but the offense is a little slow to start.
I finished things up with Yaxel Lendeborg to clear 15 points. His advantages in cutting actions to the rim are overwhelming. Frankly, it’s a little surprising that he scored just 18 points in the first matchup. I expect him to be a focal point for Michigan’s offense.
Michigan vs Ohio State SGP
- Michigan -10.5
- First half Under 75.5
- Yaxel Lendeborg Over 15.5 points
Our beyond the arc SGP: Wolves roll in Columbus
For our longshot parlay, we added Elliott Cadeau to clear five assists. It’s a straightforward, highly correlated angle to Lendeborg going Over.
Cadeau is the primary facilitator on his cuts to the basket, and if he’s scoring efficiently, there’s a good chance a large chunk of those scores are coming from Cadeau passes.
Michigan vs Ohio State SGP
- Michigan -10.5
- First half Under 75.5
- Yaxel Lendeborg Over 15.5 points
- Elliott Cadeau Over 5.5 assists
Michigan vs Ohio State odds
- Spread: Michigan -9.5 | Ohio State +9.5
- Moneyline: Michigan -600 | Ohio State +450
- Over/Under: Over 162.5 | Under 162.5
Michigan vs Ohio State betting trend to know
Michigan has won 11 of its last 13 games for +10.0 units and a 7% ROI. Find more college basketball betting trends for Michigan vs. Ohio State.
How to watch Michigan vs Ohio State
| Location | Value City Arena, Columbus, OH |
| Date | Sunday, February 8, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | CBS |
Michigan 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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