Ohio State vs. North Carolina Picks and Predictions, Saturday, December 20th, 2025
Use Code WWWC The Ohio State Buckeyes (8-2) and the #12 North Carolina Tar Heels (10-1) will tipoff on Saturday afternoon in Atlanta as part of the CBS Sports Classic in this Ohio State vs. North Carolina prediction. Ohio State just went to two overtimes with West Virginia before finally winning 89-88 as 3.5-point favorites. North Carolina won their last outing in easier faship, taking down East Tennessee State 77-58 while covering as 17.5-point favorites. Tipoff is set for 3:00 EST from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, and can be found on CBS. See below for our Ohio State vs. North Carolina prediction, and keep up with all of our best NCAAB Betting Picks!
Ohio State Comes Off Double OT Win
The Ohio State Buckeyes have not played since last Saturday, but they needed the extra couple days off after their battle with West Virginia. Ohio State went to double overtime before finally winning by one in the Rocket Arena in Cleveland. This game presents another neutral site matchup, but the competition will be tougher this time, as they take on just their second ranked opponent of the season. The Buckeyes already played a conference game against #13 Illinois, which resulted in an eight point loss.
The Buckeyes will still focus on the positive momentum they gained last time out, as veteran point guard Bruce Thornton put up 23 points in the victory. Thornton is their 6'2 senior point guard who has been a starter for Ohio State since stepping foot on campus four years ago as a freshman. He is leading the team in scoring with 21.8 PPG while filling up the stat sheet with 5.0 RPG and 4.4 APG. John Mobley Jr. is back on the perimeter after a strong freshman showing last year, he is scoring 13.8 PPG as a 6'1 sophomore this year. Both guards can fill it up from deep, as Thornton has 26 made threes and Mobley has another 23. Their best frontcourt player is 7'0 Christoph Tilly who is getting 13.8 PPG in the middle.
Ohio State is ranked 39th overall out of 365 Division I teams according to KenPom. They are 38th in offensive efficiency and 54th in defensive efficiency. They play at an average pace, ranking 127th in tempo based on their possessions per game.
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Tar Heels Stay Hot
The North Carolina Tar Heels have another star studded lineup this season, and have won ten of their first eleven games coming into this one. Their only loss so far was against a strong Michigan State team that was ranked 11th at the time, but they also have ranked victories over #19 Kansas and #18 Kentucky. UNC comes into this game having won each of their last three, with their most recent victory being a relatively easy win over East Tennessee State. In that game, Henri Veesaar had 26 points and eight boards in the win.
Veesaar has played the last two seasons with the Arizona Wildcats, but has truly exploded this year with UNC as the 7'0 junior out of Estonia is averaging 16.9 PPG and 9.1 RPG. Veesaar has NBA scouts watching him closely, and is showing he can stretch the floor as he has 11 made threes on the year. The Tar Heels are led by their high profile freshman Caleb Wilson, he is almost guaranteed to be a lottery pick in the upcoming draft as the versatile 6'10 freshman is getting 19.5 PPG and 10.4 RPG in the middle. Their top backcourt player is Seth Trimble, the 6'3 senior guard is scoring 14.5 PPG and has played all four of his college seasons with the Tar Heels.
North Carolina is ranked 22nd overall according to KenPom. They are 35th in offensive efficiency and 24th in defensive efficiency. They play slower than the Buckeyes, ranking only 204th in pace of play.
Key Injuries for Ohio State vs. North Carolina:
Ohio State
- None listed
North Carolina
- None listed
Ohio State vs. North Carolina Picks and Predictions
Spread pick for Ohio State vs. North Carolina
- North Carolina -4 (5 units)
This spread should be much higher, as the Tar Heels will dominate the paint in this one and easily cover the number. The Tar Heels have two players standing 6'10 or taller who will likely be first round picks in the upcoming draft. Wilson is projected to be a special player in the NBA, and Ohio State does not have anyone who can matchup with his athleticism in the paint. Ohio State has one strong post player in Tilly, but he will have his hands full with Veesaar, leaving Ohio State with no other answers on the inside. The Buckeyes just went to double overtime in their last game, then had six days off, that is not good for their rhythm as North Carolina will easily take this neutral site game.
Take North Carolina to win and cover.
Over/Under Pick for Ohio State vs. North Carolina
- Over 154.5
There are some teams that will always draw public money for their spreads and overs, and North Carolina is one of those squads. The line makers in Vegas know this, and have been raking in money as North Carolina has only gone over in two of their eleven games this season. UNC has been a team for unders this season for multiple reasons. North Carolina does not play fast, they rank only 204th in the nation in pace of play, and this is due to their roster construction. UNC is no longer a team run by their perimeter players, as Veesaar and Wilson are both post players who slow the game down by trying to score in the paint. Ohio State will want to slow this game down even more to keep it close, it is going under again.
Take the under.
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