Ohio State vs. West Virginia Picks and Prediction for Saturday, December 13, 2025
Ohio State Buckeyes (7-2) vs. West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3)
The college basketball betting action goes on Saturday, December 13, 2025, with the Cleveland Hoops Showdown between the Buckeyes and Mountaineers at Rocket Arena, and we’ve got you covered with our Ohio State vs. West Virginia prediction.
The Buckeyes meet the Mountaineers for the first time since December 30, 2023, when Ohio State outlasted West Virginia 78-75 as an 8.5-point fave at the neutral site. Interestingly, that game was played at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.
Now, let’s take a closer look at this Ohio State vs. West Virginia prediction, one of our NCAAB picks for Saturday’s card. The Buckeyes open as 4.5-point favorites with a total of 139.5 points, and the tip-off is set at 8:00 PM ET.
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Ohio State leans on its offense
The Ohio State Buckeyes (7-2; 4-5 ATS; 5-4 O/U) started their 2025-26 campaign with a six-game winning streak. Since then, the Buckeyes have gone 1-2 SU and ATS, sandwiching an 86-82 victory at Northwestern with a pair of losses at Pittsburgh 67-66, and to No. 13 Illinois, 88-80.
Last Tuesday, the Buckeyes failed to cover a 3.5-point spread against the Fighting Illini, who went 11-for-27 from deep and 29-for-32 from the foul line. Ohio State went 9-for-28 from downtown and 15-for-21 from the charity stripe while outscoring Illinois 34-24 in the paint.
Senior guard Bruce Thornton tortured Illinois for 34 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Thornton averages 21.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while making 55.6% of his shots from deep. He’s one of four Buckeyes with points per game in double figures.
Ohio State scores 119.7 points per 100 possessions (23rd in the country) and allows 100.4 points in return (52nd). The Buckeyes make 64.6% of their 2-pointers (3rd) and 36.3% of their 3-pointers (73rd).
West Virginia relies on its defense
The West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3; 6-5 ATS; 5-6 O/U) have gone 3-1 SU and ATS in their last four games overall. During that stretch, the Mountaineers have beaten Mercyhurst 70-38, Coppin State 91-46, and Little Rock 90-58 while losing against Wake Forest 75-66.
The Mountaineers are coming off Tuesday’s thrashing of Little Rock. West Virginia held the Trojans to 36.2% shooting from the field (6-for-18 from deep) while making 55.9% of its field goals (15-for-30 from downtown).
Senior guard Honor Huff dropped 24 points on Little Rock, while senior forward Treysen Eaglestaff had 23 points. Huff leads the way for West Virginia with 17.3 points per game. Senior guard Chance Moore tallies 12.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, and senior forward Brenen Lorient adds 10.3 points and 5.8 boards a night.
West Virginia scores 110.9 points per 100 possessions (110th in the nation) and allows 97.0 points in return (19th). In their first season under Ross Hodge, the Mountaineers are fifth in the country in opposing 2-point percentage (41.3%) and ninth in defensive rebound percentage (75.9%).
Ohio State vs. West Virginia Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tony Karpinski | +2,494.00 |
| 2 |  Joe Duffy | +1,859.00 |
| 3 |  The Insiders Room | +1,788.00 |
| 4 |  Mark Ruelle | +1,428.00 |
| 5 |  Jackie Mack | +1,400.00 |
Spread Pick for Ohio State vs. West Virginia
- Ohio State -4.5 (5 units)
West Virginia is a deep team full of seniors. The Mountaineers changed their entire roster in the offseason, and their defense has done a great job this season. However, I don’t think they’ve met the offensive team like Ohio State.
The Buckeyes returned 49.2% of minutes played and 58.1% of scoring from their 2024-25 roster. Bruce Thornton is building on his junior year, when he was averaging 17.7 points and 4.6 assists, while senior center Christoph Tilly, a transfer from Santa Clara, tallies 13.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game this season.
I like the Buckeyes in this spot. They are playing close to home and will have strong support from the stands.
Over/Under Pick for Ohio State vs. West Virginia
- Over 139.5 (5 units)
The Mountaineers allowed 75 points to Wake Forest last Saturday. Their defense will be properly tested in this game, as the Buckeyes have scored 80 or more points in four of their previous five outings.
West Virginia loves to play at a slow pace, recording just 64.8 possessions per 40 minutes (345th in the nation). That’s Ross Hodge’s influence on this team. On the other side, Ohio State tallies 69.8 possessions per 40 minutes (123rd), and the Buckeyes will look to push the ball in transition whenever they can.
The Mountaineers’ defense has one flaw. West Virginia is 273rd in the country in opposing 3-point percentage (36.0%). Despite a slow pace, the over has hit in five of West Virginia’s last seven games, and I will ride this betting trend.
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