Ohio vs Virginia Odds and Picks
- Ohio brings a three-game winning streak into its West Region game against Virginia at 7pm ET on Saturday
- Virginia waits for clearance after withdrawing from the ACC Tournament because of COVID-19 issues
- Check out the odds, analysis, and betting predictions, below
No. 13 seed Ohio (16-7) has won three straight games and nine of 10 as it prepares for a East Region game against Virginia at 7pm ET on Saturday, The Bobcats won the Mid-American tournament by beating the fourth, first and seconds seeds on consecutive days.
No. 4 seed Virginia (18-6) will bring a three-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament. After receiving a double-bye as the No. 1 seed, the Cavaliers chose to withdraw from the ACC after their first victory because of a positive COVID-19 test among its Tier I personnel.
Ohio vs Virginia Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread at FanDuel | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Bobcats | +280 | +7 (-110) | 130.5 (Ov-116) |
| Virginia Cavaliers | -350 | -7 (-110) | 130.5 (Un-106) |
Odds from March 17
Ohio has not played in the NCAA Tournament since 2012, when it beat Michigan and South Florida in the first two rounds as the No. 13 seed in the Midwest. They lost to No. 1 seed North Carolina 73-65 in overtime.
Virginia has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the last two NCAA tournaments, The Cavaliers, seeded first overall, were the first No. 1 seed in tournament history to lose in the first round when Maryland-Baltimore County beat them 74-54 in 2018.
The Cavaliers beat Texas Tech 85-77 in overtime in the 2019 NCAA finals. The tournament was not played last season.
UVA Plays Waiting Game
Virginia likes a slow tempo, but the current drawn-out wait to receive COVID-19 test results must be excruciating.
The Cavaliers have yet to receive clearance from the NCAA to participate in the tournament, although it is expected. Team medical personnel had reported no new positive tests as of Wednesday. Virginia abandoned the ACC Tournament after a 72-69 victory over Syracuse last Thursday, when an undisclosed played who appeared in the game tested positive the following morning.
The NCAA has told Virginia that if at least five players test negative for seven straight days, they can play. The NCAA selection committee gave the Cavaliers a bit of a grace period by placing them in the West Region, which plays Saturday-Monday.
If cleared, Virginia would play its first game in nine days against Ohio. The Cavaliers had a 17-day coronavirus-related stoppage in early December, after which they beat William & Mary and lost to Gonzaga before going on a seven-game winning streak. They are 7-4 since.
The Cavaliers are to travel to Indiana on Friday and will be tested upon arrival. The Virginia player who tested positive will not play in the first weekend of the NCAA tournament.
Ohio Hits Its Stride
The Bobcats had a dominant run in the MAC tournament, winning their three games by a total of 44 points. They ran out to a 20-point lead in an 84-69 victory over second-seeded Buffalo in the final. The Bobcats only trailed for three minutes total in the tournament.
The Bobcats have won and covered nine of their last 10 games and have five double-figure scorers, led by 6’4″ sophomore guard Jason Preston at 16.6 points per game. Preston also is averaging 7.2 assists and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 53% from the field. Ohio split the four games Preston missed with a lower leg injury early in the MAC season.
Six-foot-8 Dwight Wilson (14.9 points, 7.5 rebounds), 6’8″ Ben Vander Plas (12.8, 5.7) and 6’5″ Ben Roderick (12.4 points) are the other main scoring options for a team that ranks No. 18 the NCAA Division I with a 48.9% field goal percentage.
The Bobcats rank 78th KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin but 29th in adjusted offensive efficiency. Roderick and Vander Plas average two three-point makes per game, and Preston is at 1.7.
Virginia’s Big Men
Marquette transfer forward Sam Hauser leads the Cavaliers in scoring (16.0) and is second in rebounding (6.7), while center Jay Huff averages 13.1 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds a game. Like the Ohio big men, each is comfortable on the perimeter. Hauser has made 62 three-pointers and is shooting 43.4% from distance.
The Cavaliers are 11th in KenPom’s average efficiency margin, and they are the most deliberate team in the KenPom adjust tempo ratings, averaging 60.1 possessions per 40 minutes. Ohio averages about nine more possessions per game.
Virginia was 15-3 and reached No. 7 in the AP Top 25 before splitting it last six games, and the uncertainty around its tournament status creates an unnecessary distraction. Ohio is rolling, and taking the points in a game that will be played at a slower tempo seems logical.
The pick: Ohio +7 (-110)
Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
