Georgia vs Ohio State Prediction & Best Bets (NIT Quarterfinals): Football Powers Battle on the Hardwood

Tonight, two of the biggest names in college football will do battle on the hardwood. In Columbus, Ohio, Georgia and Ohio State will meet for a spot in the NIT semifinals (7:00 pm ET, ESPN).

The Bulldogs (19-16), the #4 seed in the Wake Forest bracket, finished 11^th in the SEC and entered the NIT with 11 losses in 14 games.

But they have made the most of their postseason opportunity, winning at home against #5 Xavier (78-76) in the first round then upsetting Wake Forest 72-66 in the second round.

That sets up a matchup with the second-seeded Buckeyes (22-13), who defeated Cornell 88-83 in the first round and #3 seed Virginia Tech 81-73 in the second round.

Which team will move on to face either Seton Hall or UNLV in Indianapolis next Tuesday? Read on.

Georgia vs Ohio State Odds

Odds are via BetOnline, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on today’s NIT, CBI, and CIT action.

Spread

• Georgia +8.5 (-108)
• Ohio State -8.5 (-112)

Over/Under

• Over 150.5 (-110)
• Under 150.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Georgia +330
• Ohio State -410

Looking for more picks for today’s games? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for today’s NIT games.

Georgia vs Ohio State Betting Analysis and Prediction

Ohio State may have missed out on the NCAA Tournament, which would have been their goal and expectation after starting 12-2.

But with an 8-2 mark under now permanent head coach Jake Diebler, the Buckeyes are ending the season on a high note and are on the cusp of reaching the NIT semifinals for the fifth time in program history.

During this 8-2 stretch under Diebler, Ohio State is also 8-2 ATS, and they are 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS as a favorite. With previous head coach Chris Holtmann, the Buckeyes were 12-5 SU and 7-10 ATS as a favorite this season.

Georgia is 4-15 SU as an underdog, but they are 11-8 ATS in that spot, including 4-1 ATS in their last five games as a dog.

Even more notable is what they have done on the road. Overall, the Bulldogs are 10-1 ATS on the road (5-6 SU), including a 9-1 ATS mark (4-6 SU) as an underdog.

Also, Georgia is 6-1 ATS (1-6 SU) when an underdog by eight or more points.

The Buckeyes, on the other hand, are 5-6 ATS when favored by eight or more points this season, but they are a perfect 11-0 SU in that spot.

So, what is the best move here? While Georgia’s ATS numbers are fantastic, I really like how Ohio State has played under Diebler. It may not have been enough to help them reach the NCAA Tournament, but they are my favorite to reach the championship game from their half of the NIT bracket.

Prediction: Ohio State to win and cover

Georgia vs Ohio State Best Bets

Ohio State -8.5 & Georgia/Ohio State over 150.5

The over is 12-6-1 in Ohio State’s home games this season and is 6-3-1 in Diebler’s ten games, including hits in the last four games.

Bonus Pick: Jamison Battle (Ohio State) over 17.5 points (-115 at BetOnline)

Bruce Thornton (15.8 PPG) remains the Buckeyes’ leading scorer, but Battle (15.1 PPG) has been a key contributor to Ohio State’s recent success.

In nine games under Diebler (he missed the win at Michigan State on February 25), Battle is averaging 19.1 PPG and has scored 18+ points six times. In the win over Virginia Tech, he had 21 points, 17 coming from the foul line (17 of 18) to offset a poor shooting performance (2 of 8 FG, 0 of 5 3PT).

Battle, a 43.3% shooter from outside, has gone without a three-pointer only 10 times in 137 career games. Expect him to nail at least a couple tonight on the way to hitting the over on this total.

Also, if you want to double dip on Battle, over 2.5 made threes is +135 at Bovada. When he has made three or more threes 16 times in 34 games this season, that is excellent value.

Other NIT and NCAA Basketball Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on the NIT?

Each year, millions upon of millions of March Madness bets are placed at the top online sports betting sites.

However, the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments are not the only college basketball action going on in late March.

NIT odds are easy to find, and many sportsbooks also offer odds for the CBI (College Basketball Invitational) and CIT (College Insider Tournament), two other Division I men’s college basketball postseason tournaments.

Numerous sportsbooks are good for betting on March Madness and the other postseason tournaments. But in addition to BetOnline, here are some of the books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (Review)
• BetUS (Review)
• Bovada (Review)
• MyBookie (Review)

If you are unfamiliar with any of the above sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Speaking of offers, keep an eye on the latest sportsbook offers from these books and others as the countdown to the opening tip of March Madness continues. That way, you will not miss out on any special sports betting promos and bonuses to pad your bankroll for March Madness betting.

Other March Madness Content at Betting News

If you’d like to check out our other March Madness content, our March Madness guide is where you can find it all in one tidy place. But here’s a rundown of some of what we have put together to help you with your NCAA Tournament betting this year.

• Men’s March Madness Futures Odds
• Women’s March Madness Futures Odds
• 2024 Men’s Final Four Odds
• Six Men’s March Madness Sleepers for 2024
• March Madness Betting Trends & Stats to Know for 2024
• Where to Find the Best March Madness Betting Picks
• Best March Madness Betting Sites for This Year
• This Year’s Best March Madness Bracket Challenges
• Betting News Bracket Mania (Our FREE March Madness Bracket Challenge!)

Interested in Learning More About Betting on March Madness & NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on men’s or women’s NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on March Madness, the Mountain West, the MAAC, McNeese State, and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Also, follow Betting News on X/Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok to get more March Madness and NCAA basketball insight from myself and the rest of our team. We’re cooking up a lot of great NCAA Tournament content for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, so hit those links so you don’t miss out on any of it.

• Betting News on “X”/Twitter
• Betting News on Twitch
• Betting News on TikTok

Who do you think will win this year’s NIT? Get your bets in at BetOnline, where you can get a 100% welcome bonus if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, or another cryptocurrency.