Henry Roldán
Ohio State will look to continue regaining its confidence on the board when this Sunday they measure, in a duel of the second round of March Madness 2022, to Villanova, After a very complicated end of the campaign the Buckeyes dispatched without major problems, 54-41, to Loyola Chicago, to move forward in the tournament. Meanwhile, Villanova, who come into the game as favorites by being the 2nd seed in the South bracket, comfortably defeated Delaware, 80-60.
Picks and Predictions for the Ohio State Buckeyes vs Villanova Wildcats NCAA Basketball Championship Round 2 Game on March 20
- Where: PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- When: Saturday, March 20, 1:00 PM ET
- Betting Line: Ohio State Buckeyes (+5) vs Villanova Wildcats (-5)
Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview
- Overall Record: 19-11
- Conference Record: 19-11
- Spread: +5
- Over/Under: Under 132.5
- Moneyline: +180
If Ohio State plans to come out of their game against Villanova alive, they will have to think very carefully about how to improve their offense, which practically did not exist in their game against Loyola Chicago and which they won because the Ramblers were worse than them. The Buckeyes hit just one shot out of three of the 15 they tried and finished with 17 turnovers.
Of course, their defense was the best weapon as they left Loyola Chicago with a 23% field percentage, the same percentage they finished with from long range. Clearly against Villanova these numbers will not be repeated, and while they can play a good defense, with their pyrrhic offensive game their aspirations are few. Against the Ramblers, E.J. Lidell was the offensive figure of the game with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Villanova Wildcats Betting Preview
- Overall Record: 26-7
- Conference Record: 16-4
- Spread: -5
- Over/Under: Under 132.5
- Moneyline: -220
Despite a slow start to their first-round game against Delaware, in the second half Villanova showed what they are made of and five of their players ended up scoring double digits, including Justin Moore who was the game’s leading scorer with 21 points. In addition, the Wildcats practically did not miss from any distance, making 49% field goals, 13 of 28 on three-pointers and 11 of 12 on free throws.
On the defensive side, one of the best in the nation was surprised in the first minutes by Delaware, but he quickly adjusted his game by winning the rebounds 31-21 and allowing his opponent to get just three successful long-distance shots of the 20 he recorded. Against Ohio State it seems that in defense they will not have to put much pressure on themselves, so the commitment seems to be assured.
JefeBet Prediction
While Ohio State regained some big names, its offense left many worried and its inconsistency at the end of the season seems to still be present. Villanova on the other hand is a more complete team, without many shortcomings on both sides of the court and with aspirations to go far in the tournament. This time I don’t think there’s any surprise and I’m leaving with the Wildcats points.
