Ohio State vs UC-Santa Barbara Betting
The breakdown: Coming off a Big Ten championship, Ohio State is one of the hottest teams in the country. Yet, their shallow bench has people wondering if their starters are playing too many minutes, and when they will break down. The Buckeyes are favored by 17 points against a 20-9 UC Santa Barbara team that won the Big West Conference.
Why Ohio State will win: Evan Turner, the Buckeyes’ point guard, has made his claim over and over for the Player of the Year Award. When Turner went down with a broken back early in the season, Ohio State struggled to a 3-3 record. With Turner in the line up, Ohio State is 24-4.
Why UC Santa Barbara will win: Like many mid major teams in a single elimination tournament, the Gauchos will have to connect at an abnormally high rate from three point range. UCSB needs to get Ohio State and its short bench in foul trouble early, and stay in the game with three pointers.
Verdict: Ohio State wins by double digits.
