Ohio State vs TCU College Basketball Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for NCAA Tournament First Round

The No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes (21-12) will look to beat the No. 9 seed TCU Horned Frogs (22-11) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. This contest tips off at 12:15 p.m. ET.

Before you place your bet on this game at FanDuel Sportsbook, here are the NCAA basketball odds and spreads you need to know.

Ohio State vs. TCU Game Info and Odds

• Game day: Thursday, March 19, 2026
• Game time: 12:15 p.m. ET
• TV channel: CBS
• Location: Greenville, South Carolina
• Arena: Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Ohio State vs. TCU Picks and Prediction

All college basketball win probability predictions and picks are according to numberFire.
Prediction: Ohio State win (60.1%)

Read these betting trends and insights before you wager on Thursday's Ohio State-TCU spread (Ohio State -2.5) or total (146.5 points).

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Ohio State vs. TCU: ATS Betting Stats and Trends

• Ohio State has won 18 games against the spread this season, while failing to cover 15 times.
• TCU has covered 19 times in 33 games with a spread this season.
• As a 2.5-point underdog or more in 2025-26, TCU is 8-3 against the spread compared to the 8-10 ATS record Ohio State puts up as a 2.5-point favorite.
• The Buckeyes have done a better job covering the spread in road games (6-5-0) than they have in home games (8-9-0).
• Against the spread, the Horned Frogs have had better results on the road (6-3-0) than at home (9-10-0).

Ohio State vs. TCU: Moneyline Betting Stats

• Ohio State has been chosen as the moneyline favorite in 20 games this year and has walked away with the win 18 times (90%) in those games.
• The Buckeyes have a mark of 16-2 in contests where oddsmakers favor them by -152 or better on the moneyline.
• TCU has been the underdog on the moneyline 11 total times this season. TCU has gone 5-6 in those games.
• The Horned Frogs have gone 5-6 when playing as a moneyline underdog with odds of +126 or longer (45.5%).
• Ohio State has an implied victory probability of 60.3% according to the moneyline set by sportsbooks for this matchup.

Ohio State vs. TCU Head-to-Head Comparison

• Ohio State averages 79.8 points per game (85th in college basketball) while allowing 72.8 per contest (144th in college basketball). It has a +231 scoring differential overall and outscores opponents by seven points per game.
• Ohio State's leading scorer, Bruce Thornton, is 28th in college basketball scoring 20.3 points per game.
• TCU puts up 78.3 points per game (113th in college basketball) while allowing 72.1 per outing (126th in college basketball). It has a +206 scoring differential and outscores opponents by 6.2 points per game.
• David Punch is ranked 373rd in the country with a team-leading 14.3 points per game.
• The Buckeyes average 29.8 rebounds per game (290th in college basketball) while allowing 28.2 per outing to their opponents. They outrebound opponents by 1.6 boards per game.
• Devin Royal leads the Buckeyes with 5.7 rebounds per game (362nd in college basketball action).
• The Horned Frogs are 148th in the nation at 32.4 rebounds per game. That's 2.7 more than the 29.7 their opponents average.
• Punch's 6.7 rebounds per game lead the Horned Frogs and rank 196th in college basketball.
• Ohio State ranks 21st in college basketball with 106.6 points scored per 100 possessions, and 238th in college basketball defensively with 97.3 points conceded per 100 possessions.
• The Horned Frogs' 98.7 points per 100 possessions on offense rank 155th in college basketball, and the 90.8 points they allow per 100 possessions rank 67th in college basketball.

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