Ohio vs. Virginia Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
After a yearlong delay, the Virginia Cavaliers will finally get a chance to defend their NCAA Tournament crown. The first team looking to knock the Cavaliers off their throne will be the Ohio Bobcats. While Virginia certainly doesn’t have the same team they did two years ago, they still have one of the most talented rosters in the country. Can Ohio slay the Virginia dragon, or are the Cavaliers poised to make another deep Tournament run?
Ohio Bobcats vs. Virginia Cavaliers NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
Bettors were clamouring to take the Bobcats when Virginia opened as a 10.5-point favourite, but all the action has dropped the Cavaliers to 7-point favs. Early action is seeing 84 per cent of bettors side with the underdog Ohio and 92 per cent taking the Over on a 130.5 total. The Bobcats have paid off well this season. Ohio is 14-8 against the spread and have covered in eight of their last nine games. Virginia hasn’t paid as well, failing to cover in five of their last six games. The Bobcats come into this game as an Under team in six of their last nine games, while the Cavaliers are on the opposite end of the spectrum, covering in five of their last six contests.
(13) Ohio Bobcats
Ohio’s offence is going to prove tricky for Virginia, which has led the Bobcats to be considered one of the most likely teams to pull off a first round upset. They’re in the Tournament for the first time since 2012, after they won nine of their last 10 games this season, including an 84-69 win over the Buffalo Bulls in the MAC Tournament title game. Ohio is averaging 80.1 points per game, 17th in the country, and they had the highest field goal percentage in the MAC, shooting just under 50 per cent from the field. This is a balanced team with all five starters averaging double-digit points. Ohio moves the ball effectively, averaging 17.6 assists per game, sixth-most in the country. They’re being led by Jason Preston, who has team-highs in points per game (16.6), assists (7.2) and steals (1.6).
(4) Virginia Cavaliers
It’s been an up-and-down couple of Tournaments for Virginia. After becoming the first No. 1 seed to ever lose a first round game in 2018, they went on to win the national championship the next year. The main concern about this team right now is rust. The Cavaliers were forced to pull out of the ACC Tournament due to COVID issues and the team has been in quarantine all week. This is a great defensive team. Virginia had the best scoring defence in the ACC, allowing 60.5 points per game. On the other end of the spectrum, is the Cavaliers’ slow style of basketball. Out of 357 Division-1 basketball teams, Virginia ranks dead last in possessions per game. This game will likely come down to how easily Virginia can shake off the rust after a week of quarantine and their last-minute travel to Indianapolis.
OHIO
UVA