TCU (9) vs. Ohio State (8) Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
The official first round of the Men’s NCAA Tournament is almost here. No. 9 seed TCU and eighth-seeded Ohio State get things going Thursday afternoon in an East Region contest in Greenville, SC, at 12:15 p.m. ET.
Ohio State is making its first tournament appearance in four years and is looking to send senior Bruce Thornton on a surprise run through the bracket. The Buckeyes finished 21-12 overall and 12-8 in the Big Ten.
TCU, under 10th-year coach Jamie Dixon, has advanced to the tournament for the fourth time in five years. Dixon has led his alma mater to the Big Dance five times after it had not been in for 20 years.
Ohio State is a 2.5-point favourite to win on the March Madness odds, with the total set at 146.5.
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Ohio State Buckeyes NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
The Horned Frogs went 9-2 down the stretch. That includes a 6-1 straight-up and 5-2 against the spread mark in their last seven games. They have gone 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings with Big Ten opponents.
Ohio State is 5-0 against the spread and 4-1 straight up in its last five games. The Buckeyes are listed as 2.5-point favourites, and went 17-2 in that role. They have played to the over in four of five games. TCU went 5-6 straight up as dogs.
TCU Horned Frogs (9)
David Punch averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds, and Xavier Edmonds contributed 12.6 points and 6.6 rebounds as TCU finished 11-7 in the Big 12 before bowing out to Kansas, 78-73, in the conference tournament.
Punch had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Liataurus Lelevicious added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Horned Frogs, who took themselves off the bubble with victories over top-10 squads Iowa State and Texas Tech down the stretch.
TCU was one of the top turnover-producing schools over the last month. They get to the free-throw line frequently, and they rebound well at both ends of the court.
However, they have shot poorly, even during this 9-2 stretch. If Dixon’s squad can’t produce second and third chances, forget about it.
Ohio State Buckeyes (8)
Ohio State is led by a three-headed monster, consisting of Thornton (20.2 ppg), John Mobley Jr. (15.7 ppg), and Devin Royal (13.4 ppg, 5.7 REB.). Those three accounted for the most damage in a tight, 71-67 defeat at the hands of Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament. Thornton had 20 points, Mobley Jr. added 14, and Royal had a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Those same Wolverines are the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region.
The Buckeyes, unlike TCU, are a strong-shooting side. They ranked third in the Big Ten with a 49.7 field-goal percentage, and finished fourth in the league from long range, making 36.1 per cent of their 3-pointers. Mobley Jr. shot 42.2 per cent from beyond the arc.
This team struggled to produce turnovers and averaged just 2.3 blocks per game. And the Buckeyes went just 3-10 against Quad 1 teams. But they also don’t beat themselves. If Ohio State gets going offensively, TCU is in for a long afternoon.
March Madness Prediction: Who Will Win TCU vs. Ohio State?
TCU could easily win this game, but the Horned Frogs will ultimately be done in by their shooting woes. Look for Thornton to thrive in his first NCAA Tournament appearance and spark the Buckeyes to the first-round triumph, 72-66.