NCAA First Round: TCU vs Ohio State Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 19)

• The Horned Frogs make their 12th NCAA Tournament appearance ever.
• The Buckeyes return to March Madness for the first time since 2022.
• This marks the fifth all-time matchup between the two squads.

The first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is set to go underway with a matchup between the Big 12’s TCU Horned Frogs and the Big Ten’s Ohio State Buckeyes. The latter comes out as the slight favorite, providing many factors that can make the difference in this big showdown to fully tip off the first biggest weekend of March Madness.

How to Watch

• When: Thursday, March 19, 12:15 pm ET
• Where: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina
• How to Watch: CBS

NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines

Game Preview

The Horned Frogs (22-11) continue to be active in March Madness, reaching he NCAA Tournament in five of the last eight seasons. TCU ranks 22nd in defensive efficiency with a rating of 97.8 according to KenPom, also ranking second in the Big 12 with 13.9 turnovers forced per game. Xavier Edmonds (third team) and David Punch (honorable mention) were named All-Big 12 Conference this season. Edmonds ranked fourth in the Big 12 with 8.4 rebounds per game in conference play. Punch leads the team in scoring with 14.3 points per game, producing two blocks per game as it ranks third in the Big 12 and 30th nationally. Meanwhile, Brock Harding ranks third in the Big 12 and 30th nationally with 5.7 assists per game.

The Buckeyes (21-12) performed strongly enough to earn an At-Large bid to the NCAA Tournament, giving themselves a chance to make a sneaky run. Ohio State ranks 17th nationally in offensive efficiency at 124.3. Second-Team All-Big Ten guard Bruce Thornton ranks fourth in the conference with 20.2 points and also leads the Buckeyes at 3.9 assists per game. On another note, John Mobley Jr. ranks second on the team with 15.7 points per game.

TCU vs Ohio State Head-to-Head

The two programs have had four meetings in their history, and the result is 4-0 for the Buckeyes. The last matchup was in December 1969 when Ohio State won 89-80 at home.

TCU vs Ohio State Predictions

It will be a clash of styles between TCU and Ohio State. The former boasts an elite ability to play defense that can frustrate many opponents while the latter possesses an explosive offense that can overwhelm opposing teams. This paves the way for a game that will come down to who has the better offensive day, which leans towards Ohio State in that sense. Our betting pick here is for the Buckeyes to cover a 2.5-point spread.

• Free NCAAB pick: Ohio State Buckeyes -2.5