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Teams looking to get back on track clash when the Minnesota Golden Gophers face the Ohio State Buckeyes in a key Big Ten Conference matchup on Thursday. The Golden Gophers (6-8, 0-4 Big Ten), who have lost seven of nine, including two in a row, have lost 16 of the last 21 in the series and are 1-11 in Columbus since 2006. The Buckeyes (10-5, 2-2), who have dropped two straight, took top-ranked Purdue to the final seconds before losing 71-69 last Thursday. They followed that up with an 80-73 setback at Maryland on Sunday.

The game from the Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, will tip off at 6:30 p.m. ET. Minnesota is averaging 64.3 points per game, while Ohio State averages 79.7. The Buckeyes are 15.5-point favorites in the latest Minnesota vs. Ohio State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 137. Before making any Ohio State vs. Minnesota picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 9 of the season 34-18 on all-top rated college basketball picks, returning more than $1,000 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Minnesota vs. Ohio State and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Ohio State vs. Minnesota:

  • Minnesota vs. Ohio State spread: Ohio State -15.5
  • Minnesota vs. Ohio State over/under: 137 points
  • Minnesota vs. Ohio State money line: Minnesota +900, Ohio State -1700
  • MIN: The Over is 5-1 in the Golden Gophers' last six games following an against-the-spread win
  • OSU: The Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight-up loss
  • Minnesota vs. Ohio State picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Ohio State can cover

Junior forward Zed Key, who missed the Maryland game with a shoulder injury, is questionable, but the Buckeyes expect him back within the week. Helping pick up the slack on offense in his absence will be freshman guard Bruce Thornton. In 15 starts this season, Thornton averages 10 points, 3.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. He is hitting on 45.6% of his shots from the floor, including 46.5% from 3-point range and 78.8% from the foul line.

Senior guard Sean McNeil, a transfer from West Virginia, is off to a fast start to his Buckeyes career. In 15 games, all starts, McNeil averages 9.6 points, two rebounds and 1.3 assists. He is connecting on 44.8% of his field goals, including 38% from 3-point range, and is 13 of 13 at the free-throw line. He has reached double-figure scoring in six games, including a season-high 22 points in an 88-77 loss to then-17th-ranked San Diego State on Nov. 21.

Why Minnesota can cover

Sophomore forward Dawson Garcia, a transfer from North Carolina, leads the Gophers in scoring and rebounding. He is averaging 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He is coming off a monster effort against Nebraska, scoring 19 points, while grabbing 15 rebounds for the first double-double of his Gophers career. He has reached double-figure scoring in 12 games, including a season-high 23 points in a 61-60 win over Western Michigan on Nov. 7.

Junior forward Jamison Battle is also coming off a pair of big games, scoring 20 points in the loss to Nebraska, and 13 points and nine rebounds in a 63-60 loss at No. 14 Wisconsin. Battle has reached double-figure scoring in four consecutive games and in eight of 10 games. Although he has struggled at times from the field, he is the Gophers' top free-throw shooter, hitting 84.6% of his foul shots, and he's also second on the team in both assists (1.9 per game) and steals (0.9 per game).

How to make Minnesota vs. Ohio State picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, with seven players projected to score in double-figures. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in 60% of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Ohio State vs. Minnesota? And which side of the spread cashes in 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Minnesota vs. Ohio State spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has seen profitable returns on its college basketball picks this season, and find out.