Ohio Bobcats vs Virginia Cavaliers Betting Preview

Ohio earned a berth into the NCAA Tournament by winning the MAC Tournament title last week over the Buffalo Bulls. The Bobcats went 16-7 this season, but this team has now won nine of their last 10 games. 

Virginia is the defending National Champion, but it has been a strange year for the Cavaliers. This team brings an impressive 18-6 record into the NCAA Tournament and won the ACC regular-season title. 

The winner of this game will advance to take on the Creighton-USCB game. The Ohio Bobcats are 7.5-point underdogs in this matchup against Virginia.

Bobcats Blistering on Offense

The Ohio Bobcats are averaging more than 81 points per game this season, and that offense can be explosive. They are facing one of the best defensive teams in the country, but Ohio will have to win this game on that end of the floor. 

Jason Preston leads the team with 16.6 points and 7.2 assists per game, and he sets the tone for the Bobcats. Ohio is shooting better than 36 percent from deep, but getting shots against Virginia does not come easy. 

The Bobcats are allowing more than 73 points per game, but that shouldn’t be a big concern against Virginia. If Ohio can control the tempo, then they can pull off this upset. 

Cavaliers Battling With COVID-19

Virginia had to withdraw from the ACC Tournament due to COVID-19, and they will be missing some players for this game. It’s unclear who will be available for the Cavaliers, and that could hurt a team that already struggles to score.

Virginia is scoring just 68 points per game this season, but they hold their opponents to just 60 points per game. The Cavaliers need to find a way to slow this game down, but stopping Jason Preston could prove to be a nightmare. 

Joey Hauser is scoring 16 points per game to lead Virginia, and the Cavaliers will need him to shoot it well if he is on the floor. 

Bobcats Can Hang Tough

There is just so much uncertainty surrounding Virginia at this time that it is hard to know who will be on the floor. Ohio has a huge opportunity in front of them, and the Bobcats have proven that they can beat some terrific teams.

Virginia is going to defend regardless of who they have available, and Ohio will need to shoot the ball extremely well. Don’t expect a ton of points in this matchup, and that should keep the outcome of this game in doubt until the final minutes. 

It’s unclear if Ohio has what it takes to pull off this upset and begin a Cinderella run, but they should be able to keep this game close. A 7.5-point spread is not giving Ohio enough respect, but it is time for this team to go out on and prove it on the floor Saturday night.