Ohio State vs. Oregon Picks and Prediction for Thursday, January 8, 2026
Ohio State Buckeyes (10-4) vs. Oregon Ducks (8-7)
The college hoops betting action goes on Thursday, January 8, 2026, with the Ohio State Buckeyes taking on the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Conference showdown at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, OR, so we’ve got the Ohio State vs. Oregon prediction.
Last season, Oregon joined the Big Ten Conference, and the Ducks beat the Buckeyes 73-71 as 2.5-point road underdogs. Will the Buckeyes get revenge? Read more about this Ohio State vs. Oregon prediction, and check out all our NCAAB picks for Thursday’s card.
The tip-off at Matthew Knight Arena is set at 10:30 PM ET. Oregon opens as a slight 1.5-point home fave with a total of 152.5 points.
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Ohio State’s shaky form continues
The Ohio State Buckeyes (10-4; 5-9 ATS; 7-7 O/U) started their 2025-26 campaign with a six-game winning streak. Since then, the Buckeyes have gone 4-4 SU and 2-6 ATS. Last Monday, they dropped to 2-2 in conference play, suffering a 72-69 home loss against No. 10 Nebraska.
The Buckeyes were 2.5-point favorites over the Cornhuskers, who outrebounded Ohio State 38-29 on the night. Ohio State shot 45.6% from the field (9-for-26 from deep) but missed five of its 13 attempts from the foul line. Sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. led the way for the Buckeyes with 22 points.
Mobley Jr. tallies 14.6 points per game, while senior guard Bruce Thornton averages 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. The Buckeyes score 119.3 points per 100 possessions (46th in the country) and allow 103.4 points in return (81st). They are No. 39 in the NCAA NET Rankings.
Oregon is coming off a tough loss, too
The Oregon Ducks (8-7; 5-10 ATS; 9-6 O/U) have won four of their previous six games overall while going 5-1 against the number. Yet, the Ducks have only won one of their first four contests in conference play. Last Friday, Oregon beat Maryland 64-54 as a 1.5-point road fave, and three days later, the Ducks suffered an 88-85 overtime defeat at Rutgers.
The Ducks blew an eight-point lead from halftime last Monday, playing as 4.5-point road favorites. They went 13-for-32 from downtown, but the Ducks committed 10 more turnovers than Rutgers (17-7) while allowing 34 free throws to the Scarlet Knights. Senior center Nate Bittle led the way for Oregon with 28 points and eight rebounds.
Bittle posts 17.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and junior guard Jackson Shelstad adds 15.6 points and 4.9 assists a night. Shelstad missed two straight games with a hand injury and is considered day-to-day. The Ducks are No. 101 in the NCAA NET Rankings. They score 115.5 points per 100 possessions (71st in the country) and allow 104.2 points in return (91st).
Ohio State vs. Oregon Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tony Karpinski | +2,976.00 |
| 2 |  Joe Duffy | +2,595.00 |
| 3 |  The Insiders Room | +2,320.00 |
| 4 |  Mark Ruelle | +1,627.00 |
| 5 |  Jackie Mack | +1,451.00 |
Spread Pick for Ohio State vs. Oregon
- Ohio State +1.5 (5 units)
Oregon is 22nd in the country in offensive rebound percentage (38.1%). The Ducks lean on 3-pointers, as they rank 81st in 3-point rate (.446) and 134th in 3-point percentage (34.7%). The Buckeyes should have enough weapons to contain the Ducks. Christoph Tilly will look to keep Nate Bittle off the glass, and the Buckeyes are 34th in the country in opposing 3-point percentage (29.8%).
Hereof, I’m going with Ohio State. The Buckeyes make 61.7% of their shots from inside the arc (7th in the nation) and 78.4% of their free throws (8th). Bruce Thornton is arguably one of the best guards in the country, so I expect him to torture the Ducks’ defense.
Over/Under Pick for Ohio State vs. Oregon
- Over 152.5 (5 units)
The Ducks held Maryland to 54 points, but the Rutgers game showed how fragile their defense can be. On the other side, the Buckeyes defend the 3-point line at a high level, but their interior defense is not elite.
The Buckeyes take good care of the ball, whereas the Ducks are turnover-prone. However, the Buckeyes don’t force a lot of turnovers. When it comes to pace, both teams are in the middle of the pack, so I’m going with the over. Nine of Oregon’s last 13 games overall and five of Ohio State’s previous eight road contests have gone over the total.
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