Iowa vs. Ohio State prediction: Iowa favored to win men's college basketball matchup [3/12/2026]

Ohio State will take on Iowa, in what is expected to be a tight men's college basketball game, at United Center on Thursday, commencing at 12:00 PM ET.

Based on the latest simulation results, Dimers' proven college basketball model gives Iowa a slight edge with a 51% win probability over Ohio State.

This article offers a closer look at Thursday's Iowa vs. Ohio State matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and picks.

Iowa vs. Ohio State prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using powerful machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the outcome of Thursday's NCAA basketball game between Iowa and Ohio State 10,000 times as part of our men's college basketball predictions coverage.

Our independent predictive model gives Iowa a 51% chance of defeating Ohio State. Our predicted final score has Iowa winning 71-70.

According to our model, Ohio State (+1.5) has a 52% chance of covering the spread, while the 140.5-point over/under has a 52% chance of going over.

Iowa vs. Ohio State odds

We have sourced the best men's college basketball odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Iowa	Ohio State
Spread	-1.5 (-102)	+1.5 (-110)
Moneyline	-115	+106
Total	o140.5 (-110)	u140.5 (-108)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Iowa vs. Ohio State picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Spread	Ohio State +1.5	-110
Moneyline	Ohio State	+106
Total	Over 140.5	-110

According to our men's college basketball best bets, the top play to make on this game is Ohio State to win.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

Iowa vs. Ohio State game-day updates and essential details

Thursday's men's college basketball action between Ohio State and Iowa at United Center is scheduled to start at 12:00 PM ET.

• Who: Iowa vs. Ohio State
• Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
• Time: 12:00 PM ET/9:00AM PT
• Venue: United Center

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Conclusion

We predict Iowa, with a 51% win probability, will likely beat Ohio State on Thursday.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Iowa vs. Ohio State insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are sourced from the latest data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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