Almost as soon as the NCAA Tournament bracket became official, the Vegas books started rolling out the lines, and according to 5Dimes.com, the No. 5 seed Buckeyes are an 8½-point favorite over No. 12 seed South Dakota State.
Notable opening lines from @5Dimes:
— Steve Petrella (@steve_petrella) March 11, 2018
Oklahoma pk vs. Rhode Island
Michigan -12 vs. Montana
Kentucky -6 vs. Davidson
Ohio State -8.5 vs. SDSU
Arizona -8 vs. Buffalo
Miami -1 vs. Loyola-Chicago
Va Tech -2 vs. Alabama
The No. 5 vs. No. 12 seed matchup has not been exceptionally kind to No. 5 seeds in the past, and the Jackrabbits don't look to be an easy out. South Dakota State hasn't lost a game since January, and boasts a high-powered offense led by one of the most dominating players in the country.
Can the Buckeyes avoid the upset, and cover the spread? Time will tell.
