It was an uncomfortable opening round for both the Ohio State Buckeyes and Gonzaga Bulldogs, as each survived upset bids. But they did each eventually take care of business, and now No. 4 seed Gonzaga will face off with No. 5 seed Ohio State with a berth in the Sweet Sixteen on the line.
The Bulldogs are the higher seed and will be slight favorites against the Buckeyes, and this will be an interesting matchup. Gonzaga is the best mid-major conference program in the nation and has proven its ability against high-major opponents. Ohio State played well throughout the Big Ten slate and would love to move on.
This could be the type of game that comes down to the very last shot in NCAAB odds.
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Odds Analysis
Gonzaga has been listed as a slight 2.5-point favorite against the NCAA basketball betting spread. The money has come in heavier on Ohio State, so don’t be surprised if the line shrinks. The scoring total is listed at 143 points as the pace should be pretty normal for a March Madness game.
Ohio State is 25-8 straight up and 15-16 against the spread. The Buckeyes have gone just 2-5 against the spread at neutral court games this season and didn’t cover in the opening round. Ohio State is 3-4 against the spread as the underdog on the year.
Gonzaga is 31-4 straight up and 14-19-1 against the spread. The Bulldogs have covered in half of their eight neutral court games this season. Gonzaga also failed to cover in the first round. The Bulldogs are 13-17-1 against the spread as the favorite this season.
Last Time Out
Gonzaga trailed UNC Greensboro with under two minutes remaining but ended with a flourish to pull out a 68-64 victory. Zach Norvell, Jr. had the critical shot, nailing a three-pointer with 52 seconds remaining to give Gonzaga the lead. The Bulldogs held a nine-point lead at halftime but ended up in a dogfight until the very end.
Johnathan Williams led the team with 19 points, while Josh Perkins added 16 points and a pair of steals. Gonzaga only shot 21.7 percent from three-point range but was able to escape. It should shoot better against Ohio State.
The Buckeyes were tied with South Dakota State with 1:53 left in their game but excelled down the stretch and captured an 81-73 victory. Kam Williams made some big plays down the stretch and finished with 22 points, five rebounds and three steals. Ohio State shot only 37.5 percent from the field, which is why its game was so close as well.
Player To Watch
Keita Bates-Diop -- Gonzaga is going to have to keep Ohio State’s star forward in check. Bates-Diop is averaging 19.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game on the season. He is shooting 48.4 percent from the field and nearly 36 percent from three-point range.
Bates-Diop had a big performance in the first round, finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds. He has scored at least 24 points in each of the past three games and will aim to establish himself in the paint.
Free NCAA ATS Picks
Neither team played very well in the first round, and this game should be much crisper. While the Buckeyes come from a bigger conference, Gonzaga has long proven it can hang with the big boys. Take the Bulldogs to shoot much better from the field in this game and come away with a win to advance to the NCAAB Sweet Sixteen.
The Bulldogs are also the choice to cover the NCAA basketball betting lines as they should be able to hit enough free throws down the stretch to pull away.
NCAA Odds: Gonzaga 77, Ohio State 72
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