Ohio State vs UConn Picks and Prediction for Friday November 13 2026
Ohio State is getting to head to Connecticut on Friday night to face the fourth-ranked UConn team at PeoplesBank Arena. The tipoff is set for 7:30 PM ET and is being aired on TNT. This is part of the Big Ten versus Big East matchup and it is one that is going to be lopsided from the opening tip. The Buckeyes are coming off of a road loss already against BYU to open the year, but the Huskies are heading here after getting a win over the Wolverines in an amazing game between ranked teams. The college basketball season is heating up so you should be ready for all the games with our free college basketball picks.
Ohio State Has Plenty of Scoring
The Buckeyes are coming to this game here after getting a nice win over Marshall on Monday by a score of 84-74. The win moved the Buckeyes to a record of 2-1, but the other win is just as unimpressive as the win over Marshall as it came over Youngstown State by a score of 89-65. The problem is in 2 of the 3 games played already this year the Buckeyes defense has allowed 74 points ore more.
On the offensive side of the Ohio State team has looked impressive with 85.3 points per game, but the defense has to work harder as they are giving up 77.7 points a game. The shooting for Ohio State has not been very consistent on the season landing less than 30% of the shots. When it comes to getting into the basket the Buckeyes have done better and have earned quite a few foul shots as well.
John Mobley Jr. is averaging 19.3 points and five assists per game. Amare Bynum and Andrija Jelavic are both scoring 15 points a night, with Jelavic also grabbing 7.3 rebounds. Mobley has made seven three-pointers through three games, although he’s taken 19 attempts. Ohio State has several players capable of scoring, but this is the first time the Buckeyes will face a defense as physical as UConn’s.
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UConn Is Already Playing Strong Defense
UConn is coming to this game here unbeaten on the year and have already picked up 2 home wins and a strong road win. The opening game for the Huskies was an 86-46 beatdown of Gardner-Webb, but then the Huskies went on to beat Michigan on the road by a score of 85-77. Then on Monday the Huskies were able to crush Wagner by a score of 83-41.
The Huskies offense is playing decent putting in 84.7 points a game, but the defense for the UConn team is the talking point giving up only 54.7 points a game. The smothering defense has kept the Huskies opponents from being able to get a clean shot on the day and once the Huskies pull down the board the transition game picks up the game. The Huskies are shooting an impressive 33.3% from beyond the arc and are not turning the ball over that much at all. .
Braylon Mullins leads UConn at 17.7 points per game. Silas Demary Jr. is averaging 14.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Nikolas Khamenia has contributed 10.7 points per contest and is shooting well from outside in a small early-season sample. Khamenia has appeared on an injury report with an undisclosed issue, so his status should be checked before Friday.
Ohio State vs UConn Picks and Prediction
Pick: UConn
I like UConn here. Ohio State can score, and Mobley has enough shooting ability to make the Huskies work defensively. But the Buckeyes gave up 94 points at BYU, and now they’re facing a team that’s been excellent at protecting the basket. UConn has already beaten Michigan and has the advantage of playing in Hartford. Ohio State needs to make outside shots to keep this interesting. The Buckeyes haven’t done that consistently yet. I’ll take UConn to win and would consider laying up to seven points.
Total Pick: Under
Ohio State’s first three games have been high scoring, but UConn is a different defensive matchup. The Huskies are allowing fewer than 55 points per game, and their defensive efficiency has been among the best in the country. Ohio State could push the pace early, especially if Mobley gets hot. I still expect UConn to spend more time working through its offense than Ohio State would prefer. The under is my choice at 151 or higher.
Final Picks: UConn -7 or Better and Under 151 or Higher
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