The #25 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1, 3-3 ATS, 3-3 O/U) collide with the #19 Duke Blue Devils (6-2, 4-4 ATS, 1-7 O/U) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wednesday night. The Buckeyes defeated the #21 Red Raiders in their previous bout. The Blue Devils were dealt a road loss by Purdue on Sunday. Ohio State earned a 71-66 home win against Duke last season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are seeking a third consecutive win. It’s been an encouraging opening string of games for the Buckeyes. Their only defeat was against a very good San Diego State squad, losing that one by an 88-77 score. They rebounded from that blemish by defeating Cincinnati in a dominating 81-53 decision and were two-point dogs in an 80-73 win against Texas Tech last week. The Buckeyes have covered the spread in two out of their last three bouts.
Brice Sensabaugh was a four-star recruit that was sought by several programs. The freshman forward is delivering in a big way, connecting on 52.5% of his field goals for an average of 15.8 PPG. He scored 20 points in a win against EIU. Justice Sueing collected a remarkable 33 points in the win against Texas Tech. The senior forward has increased his season average to 14.5 PPG and 4.8 RPG. Zed Key has posted three double-doubles. The junior forward has accrued an average of 12.5 PPG accompanied by 8.5 RPG.
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— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 23, 2022
The Buckeyes are ranked 19th in the country in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings and entered AP Top 25 in the #25 spot. Ohio State is clicking offensively, sinking 80 points in back-to-back games. They are now averaging 79.3 points, ranking them 69th. The defense has been stellar, conceding an average of only 61 points, positioning them 41st in DI.