Shockers Look To Upset Buckeyes
Carl Hall will look to upset Ohio State on Saturday, booking a trip to the Final Four in the process.
Wichita State will look to add Ohio State to its list of upset victims Saturday as the two schools contest the NCAA tournament’s West Regional final.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 PM ET from Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The ninth-seeded Shockers have already upset No. 8 Pittsburgh and top-seeded Gonzaga, as well as handing fellow-Cinderellas La Salle a convincing defeat in the regional semifinals. Now the side will look to do the same to the Buckeyes.
Ohio State has other ideas on its mind. The Buckeyes will be looking to advance to the Final Four for the second straight season, having beaten Syracuse in last season’s regional final.
Thad Matta’s side scored an easy win over Iona in the second round of the tournament, but wins over Iowa State and Arizona have been a lot closer. Both games were decided by just three points, and the way the West bracket has played out so far, the side could be staring down the barrel of a defeat.
The wild, wild West bracket saw five of the top eight seeds dumped out of the tournament in the second round. Another two higher-seeded teams, including top-seeded Gonzaga, fell at the next hurdle. In a season that became renowned for its upsets, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the tournament bracket has gone haywire.
Betting Straight Up
Second-seeded Ohio State (29-7, 13-5 Big Ten) enters the game as the favorite with Wichita State (29-8, 12-6 MVC) taking on underdog status, for the third time this tournament.
Ohio State has won 11 straight games, a streak that dates back to Feb. 20 and includes a Big Ten tournament title. Having experienced a few bumps in the road earlier in the season, the Buckeyes are certainly playing good basketball at just the right time.
Wichita State started the season 19-2 before dropping five of the last 10 regular season games. The school advanced to the MVC tournament final, losing 68-65 to Creighton. As such, the school is on a three-game winning streak, and has won five of the last six.
The Shockers have found ways to win this tournament, looking comfortable against both Pittsburgh and La Salle and holding on for that historic win over Gonzaga. Ohio State though will be confident having survived close games of late.
Ohio State is 8-5 in Regional Final games all told, and has ultimately advanced to five National Championship games. The school won it all back in 1960. The Buckeyes have advanced to the Final Four in each of its last three tries.
Wichita State meanwhile is 1-3 overall in Regional Final games. The school last played for a place in the Final Four in 2006, losing to George Mason. The Shockers’ only Final Four appearance came in 1965.
Ohio State certainly looks to have the pedigree to advance, but the Season of Upsets might have other ideas.
Betting the Spread
The spread opening at 6.5.
Ohio State finished the regular season with a 16-12-0 record against the spread. The Buckeyes then covered the spread in each of its three games during the Big Ten tournament. During the NCAA tournament, the school is just 1-2-0 ATS, having covered against Iona in the second round before failing to cover against both Iowa State and Arizona.
Overall, Ohio State is 20-14-0 ATS this season.
Wichita State finished the regular season with a 15-12-1 ATS record. The school went 1-2-0 ATS during the Missouri Valley tournament. Things have looked up in the NCAA tournament as the Shockers have covered the spread in each of its three games.
Overall, Wichita State is 19-14-1 ATS this season.
Betting the Total
The total opened at 133 points.
Ohio State finished the regular season with a 13-13-1 record, splitting the over/under evenly. The Buckeyes went 1-2-0 (favoring the under) during the Big Ten tournament, and has seen the total go under in all three of its NCAA tournament games.
Overall, Ohio state is 14-18-1 in favor of the under this season.
Wichita State favored the under during the regular season, going 12-15-0. Things have changed during the post season though. The team has gone 2-1-0 in favor of the over in both the MVC and NCAA tournaments.
Overall, the Shockers are 16-17-0 in favor of the under this season.
The winner of Ohio State-Wichita State will face the winner of Louisville-Duke in the National Semifinals in Atlanta on April 6.
