Line: Ohio State -3.5, Total: 137.5 ( current NCAA Tournament spreads and totals)
Virginia Commonwealth Record: 26-9 ATS: 14-20 O/U: 13-16 Overview: The Rams shook out of their late-season doldrums by winning five straight games in route to their conference title, covering the spread in their last three. VCU is 4-1 SU and ATS in their opening Tournament game – and a bankable 9-3 ATS in the tournament overall under Shaka Smart. This is one of the few teams catching points against a lower-seeded opponent in this round of games.
Team page: Virginia Commonwealth
Ohio State Record 23-10 ATS 15-16-1 O/U 16-15 Overview: Momentum isn’t factored too heavily into this betting line, evidently, as Ohio State stumbles into the Big Dance, particularly from an against-the-spread perspective. The Buckeyes failed to get the cash in five of their last eight games, and those spread losses seem to have all come against Tournament-type teams: Michigan State (twice), Wisconsin and Purdue. OSU is 14-11 ATS as a favorite, however.
Team page: Ohio State
Handicapping tools: Matchup analysis | Power ratings | ATS standings
The Linemakers’ lean: Ohio State is a different team than what it was at the beginning of the year. D’Angelo Russell is now playing ‘hero ball’ while the other four players watch. Our ratings say 3.5 is the right number, but the lean is on the in-form VCU.
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