Unranked Ohio State and #2 Auburn both head to Atlanta to face each other on Saturday afternoon. The game is at 1:00 PM ET on ESPN2. Can Auburn cover the 11.5-point spread as neutral-site favorites? Keep reading for our Ohio State vs. Auburn prediction.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 6-3 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 6-3 ATS this season.
The Auburn Tigers are 8-1 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 6-2-1 ATS this season.
Ohio State vs. Auburn Matchup & Betting Odds
605 Ohio State Buckeyes (+11.5) vs. 606 Auburn Tigers (-11.5); o/u 154.5
1:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, December 14, 2024
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
TV: ESPN2
Ohio State vs. Auburn Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that 57% of public bettors are currently backing Ohio State when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Ohio State Buckeyes Game Notes
Buckeyes forward Devin Royal had a great game in his team’s 80-66 win over Rutgers last Saturday. In that contest, the 6’6” sophomore logged 22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 made three-pointer. Royal shot 9 of 12 from the field and 3 of 5 from the foul line in the victory.
Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton also played well in his team’s game on Saturday. The junior from Fairburn, GA put up 22 points, 3 assists, a steal, and 2 made three-pointers. Thornton leads the team in scoring with 16.2 points per game this season.
Auburn Tigers Game Notes
Tigers guard Miles Kelly was terrific in his team’s 98-54 blowout win over Richmond on Sunday afternoon. The Georgia Tech transfer recorded 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. Kelly shot 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and 3 of 3 from the charity stripe in the victory.
Auburn forward Johni Broome was quiet but effective in his team’s game on Sunday. The 6’10” senior from Plant City, FL racked up 11 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocked shots. Broome is leading the team in scoring with 19.6 points per game this year.
Ohio State vs. Auburn CBB Betting Trends
Ohio State is 5-4 ATS against ranked opponents since the start of last season.
The Buckeyes are 6-1 ATS in neutral-site games since the beginning of last season.
The under is 23-21 in Auburn’s games since the start of last season.
The over is 26-19 in Ohio State’s games since the beginning of last season.
Ohio State vs. Auburn CBB Prediction:
This is a decent matchup for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have 7’1” forward Aaron Bradshaw on the roster. He’ll likely be matched up with Auburn superstar big man Johni Broome. Broome is 6’10” and is averaging 19.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game while shooting 56.6% from the floor this season. The Buckeyes should be able to at least slow him down with Bradshaw, 6’9” forward Sean Stewart, and 6’6” forward Devin Royal.
From there, Ohio State will likely try to make Auburn’s guards beat them. The Tigers have 4 guards averaging at least 9.9 points per game this season. The rub is that only one of those players (Chad Baker-Mazara) is shooting over 49% from the field this year. I think Ohio State’s game plan and defense will allow them to keep this game competitive throughout. I’m taking the Buckeyes and the points in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon.