Big Ten action resumes on Thursday night, as the Oregon Ducks host the Ohio State Buckeyes at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene.
The Buckeyes (10–4, 2–2 Big Ten) have floundered following a 6–0 start, batting .500 over their last eight games and looking to rebound from a Monday loss to No. 10 Nebraska. Meanwhile, the Ducks (8–7, 1–3 Big Ten) have regrouped from a recent five-game skid, winning four of their last six — though they fell to Rutgers in overtime Monday night.
Thursday’s matchup marks the sixth all-time meeting between Ohio State and Oregon, with the Buckeyes holding a 3–2 advantage. The programs famously met in the first NCAA Championship game in 1939, when the Oregon Webfoots captured the title.
It also marks just the programs’ second meeting since Oregon joined the Big Ten in 2024. Ohio State will aim to avenge a late-game collapse after losing a heartbreaker at home.
Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET. Oregon enters as a 3.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Ohio State sits as a +130 underdog. The game’s total is set at 152.5 points.
Buckeyes vs. Ducks Preview
Ohio State Buckeyes Preview
After beating up on a far from formidable non-conference schedule, the Buckeyes have struggled against legitimate competition. They’ve batted .500 in their last eight games and gone 2–2 to open up conference play — nothing wins over Rutgers and Northwestern but falling to No. 10 Nebraska and No. 16 Illinois.
Ohio State owns KenPom’s 37th-ranked net rating with a top 30 offense. Among Big Ten squads, the Buckeyes score the sixth-most points per game (84.6) on the fourth-highest field-goal percentage (50.6%). Their defense is fueled by suffocating perimeter pressure, which has held opponents to just 29.8% efficiency from deep, the fifth-lowest mark in the conference.
Senior guard Bruce Thornton averages 20.6 points per game — third-most in the Big Ten — on blistering 58/44/86 splits, while adding 5.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. contributes 14.6 points, and his 2.8 threes per game are tied for fourth-most in the conference. Junior forward Devin Royal and Senior Center Christoph Tilly each add double-digit points and share the team lead with 5.5 rebounds a night.
Oregon Ducks Preview
Oregon has also struggled against top-tier competition this season, perhaps even more so than Ohio State. The Ducks are just 1–3 in Big Ten play, handling the conference-worst Maryland but falling to Rutgers, UCLA, and USC — teams that haven’t been particularly imposing early on.
The Ducks currently rank 77th in KenPom’s net rating, sitting outside the top 75 on both ends of the floor. Among Big Ten teams, they score the fifth-fewest points per game (77.7) on the third-worst field-goal percentage (44%), while also coughing up the third-most turnovers (13). Oregon allows 73.3 opponent points per game, the fifth-most in the conference, and despite being a strong rebounding team overall, they struggle on the offensive glass.
Senior center Nate Bittle leads the charge with 17 points per game, and his 2.4 blocks rank fourth in the conference. Sharpshooting upperclassmen Jackson Shelstad and Takai Simpkins both rank in the Big Ten’s top ten with 2.8 and 2.3 three-pointers per game, respectively. Junior forward Kwame Evans Jr. adds 13.5 points while leading the team with 8.1 rebounds, seventh-most in the conference. Additionally, third-year forward Sean Stewart, who averages 6.6 points and 5.4 rebounds, will face his former team after transferring from Ohio State ahead of the season.
Buckeyes vs. Ducks Pick, Best Bet
While Oregon holds a 7–1 record at home this season, Thursday presents one of its toughest tests yet. Ohio State has been stronger in nearly every facet of the game so far, and the Buckeyes should lean on the hot hands of Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. and pull off an upset in Eugene.
