Scarlet and Game
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Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes should take care of North Carolina

By Ryan Stano

Dec 8, 2022; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes forward Zed Key (23) loses the ball while being guarded by Rutgers Scarlet Knights center Clifford Omoruyi (11) during the second half of the NCAA men's basketball game at Value City Arena. Ohio State won 67-66. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchBasketball Ceb Mbk Rutgers Rutgers At Ohio State
Dec 8, 2022; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes forward Zed Key (23) loses the ball while being guarded by Rutgers Scarlet Knights center Clifford Omoruyi (11) during the second half of the NCAA men's basketball game at Value City Arena. Ohio State won 67-66. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus DispatchBasketball Ceb Mbk Rutgers Rutgers At Ohio State /
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Before the season started, the Ohio State basketball team had a brutal non-conference schedule. The Maui Invitational had a lot of tough opponents in it. Ohio State ultimately went 2-1 there. At Duke was a huge test. The Buckeyes lost that one. North Carolina was also supposed to be a tough test.

Well, today is the day of the game and it’s not going to be as hard of a test as once thought. At one point, North Carolina was actually the number-one team in the country. Since that point, the Tar Heels have lost four of their last six games, including four in a row. Now they sit unranked.

Ohio State basketball vs. North Carolina Odds for December 16th

Surprisingly, Ohio State is the only team ranked in this matchup. The Buckeyes are 23rd in the polls while North Carolina has fallen out of the rankings completely. The odds have not reflected that. According to FanDuel, the Buckeyes are 1.5-point underdogs against the Tar Heels.

This is a neutral-site game, so neither fanbase will have an advantage. I tend to think that Maui will help the Buckeyes deal with that sort of environment fairly well. Neither team is stellar on defense in the second half of games, but OSU has done a good job playing tough.

Ohio State basketball vs. North Carolina prediction

Against my better judgment, I think the Buckeyes are actually in position to get the win today. I think they are finally getting some chemistry with each other and have found ways to manufacture points when the going gets tough. That’s key in a game like this.

Zed Key is also the best player on the floor. He should be able to do whatever he wants down low. He also may hit some threes too. The way he has expanded his offensive game has really helped the ceiling of this Buckeye team.

Next. Keys for OSU to beat North Carolina. dark

Give me the Buckeyes 75-68.

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