Ohio State vs Valparaiso Prediction 12-17-24 College Basketball Picks

The Valparaiso Beacons and the Ohio State Buckeyes meet Tuesday in college basketball action from Value City Arena. Here’s an Ohio State vs Valparaiso prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Ohio State vs Valparaiso pick.

Valparaiso Beacons Betting Preview

The Beacons lost two of their first three games this year, then hit a winning streak over Lindenwood, Eastern Illinois, and Northern Illinois. After losses to DePaul and Drake, Valparaiso took out Central Michigan in their last game.

On Saturday in the matchup with the Chippewas, the Beacons came out of the break with a 36-31 edge. Valparaiso scored another 57 points from there in a 93-77 win. All Wright was the lead scorer on 26 points and three assists.

Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview

Over on the Ohio State side, they beat Texas, Youngstown State, Evansville, Campbell, and Green Bay in their first six games. The Buckeyes have since lost to Pittsburgh, Maryland, and Auburn in the last four.

Matched up against Auburn on Saturday, the Buckeyes were drilled 49-21 in the first half. Ohio State limped to a 91-53 finish on a 42-32 run from there. Leading the team in scoring during the loss was Devin Royal with 14 points and five rebounds.

Why the Ohio State Buckeyes will win

• Ohio State has won 28 of its last 30 night games against non-conference opponents at Value City Arena at Schottenstein Center.
• Valparaiso has lost each of its last seven night games following a home win.
• Ohio State has won the first half in 20 of its last 21 games at Value City Arena at Schottenstein Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Why the Valparaiso Beacons will win

• Valparaiso has won four of its last five games against non-conference opponents.
• Ohio State has lost three of its last four games.
• Valparaiso has won the first half in five of its last six games against non-conference opponents.

Ohio State vs Valparaiso Prediction

I might take a stab at Valparaiso here. The Beacons played a solid all-around game versus a middling Central Michigan squad in their latest win, hitting 46.6 percent from the field and a nice 28-of-31 (90.3 percent) from the line. The 16 turnovers were just about the only real blemish. Valparaiso has hit 77 or more points in all five of their wins this year, alongside 70 or fewer in all four of their losses.

As for Ohio State, they were demolished on the road versus a great Auburn team in their last outing, posting a 49-28 rebounding deficit along the way. The Buckeyes have been below 60 points in two of the last three games, but to be fair they’ve also played some tricky teams lately. That said, I think Valparaiso can eke out a cover pace here if all goes well.