#9 TCU vs. #8 Ohio State Picks and Predictions: Round of 64
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Wed Mar 18, 2026, 5:50 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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The Big Dance officially kicks off on Thursday as a representative from the two best conferences in college hoops get things started. The No. 9 TCU Horned Frogs of the Big 12 take on the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten in the March Madness opener at 12:15 p.m. eastern on March 19. We have waited long enough, people, it's finally here. Let the madness begin. How are our CBB betting experts wagering on this opening contest? Let's check out their favorite picks and find out.
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Best Bet: TCU/Ohio State 1H Under 67 (-113) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
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#9 TCU Horned Frogs vs. #8 Ohio State Buckeyes NCAA Basketball Insights
John Mobley Jr. is a prolific scorer for the Buckeyes
Here we have two teams who I have failed to get a grip on all season long, so let's just zoom out and look at their resumes.
The Horned Frogs lost to Michigan by just four points early on in the season, but also have wins over Florida and Wisconsin. In Big 12 play, they secured wins over Iowa State and Texas Tech as well, and should've beat the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. However, they also have some VERY bad losses. TCU dropped their opener to New Orleans (who finished 15-18 overall), along with losses to Notre Dame and Utah. But I've got to given them credit for ending the regular season on a six game winning streak, as well as winning nine of their last 10 before losing to Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament.
What about the Buckeyes? Ohio State has losses to big name teams such as Illinois, North Carolina, Nebraska, Michigan (three times), Michigan State, Virginia and Wisconsin. However, they beat Purdue at home in their one meeting this year, and beat the Badgers by 17 points at home towards the end of the season while winning their last four. But does that prepare them for a deep run in March?
Matchup Information – TCU vs. Ohio State – March 19
- Venue & Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville, SC)
- Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
- Kick Off: 12:15 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: CBS
TCU vs. Ohio State Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of March 18, 2026 at 5:07 p.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- TCU +2 (-105)
- Ohio State -2 (-115)
Moneyline
- TCU +114
- Ohio State -138
Total
- Over 146 (-110)
- Under 146 (-110)
#9 TCU vs. #8 Ohio State NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Can the Horned Frogs keep their momentum rolling against the Buckeyes on Thursday?
TCU vs. Ohio State Prediction: TCU Wins Outright, Under 146
Best Bet: TCU/Ohio State 1H Under 67 (-113) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
I do like the full game under, but decided to go with the first half as I expect this to be a close game which could lead to a ton of free throws towards the end of the game. TCU has a top 30 defense in terms of adjusted efficiency, and also rank top 65 in FT Rate defense. Plus they play slower and aren't that great from the free throw line when they get there. Jamie Dixon will scheme up something to make it hard on Bruce Thornton and John Mobley to get their shots, especially early on in this game.
As for the Buckeyes, they are even slower than TCU, and also boast a top 50 defense in terms of adjusted efficiency. Neither team gets to the stripe a ton, and I trust the Horned Frogs defense, both inside and on the perimeter, to contest the sharpshooters of Ohio State.
While I will be kicking myself if the teams light it up early and then fall apart in the second half, I think with both teams giving maximum defense effort paired with the offenses playing in an unfamiliar gym, this first half should be much lower scoring than expected. Ohio State only scores 34 points in the first half away from home, while TCU is outside the top 120 in that category.
Feed me a first half under to get the tournament started.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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