March Madness: 2 Best Bets for Today's College Basketball Game -- Ohio State vs. TCU

Very few things in sports can match the unpredictability and excitement of March Madness.

The first round kicks off on Thursday, and we have for you a single-game betting piece for each of the day's 16 games. To see thoughts on other games, check out our full March Madness predictions page.

But for TCU vs. Ohio State, here are my favorite bets.

All March Madness odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds and may change after this article is published. Stats come from Bart Torvik, Sports Reference and KenPom.

TCU vs. Ohio State NCAA Tournament Best Bets for March Madness

Ohio State -2.5 (-115)

Per KenPom's numbers, Ohio State is the strongest 8 seed in the field, and they are capable of covering versus TCU.

KenPom ranks OSU 26th overall -- well in front of 43rd-ranked TCU. The Buckeyes are 17th offensively and ended the year playing some of their best ball of the season, winning four of their last five games -- including an eight-point triumph over Purdue -- to clinch their spot in the field.

TCU also enters the Big Dance on a good run, winning six of their past seven games, but -- on paper -- they look like a worse team than the Buckeyes.

Torvik projects Ohio State to win by 4.9 points. I'm in line with that, and backing OSU to cover is my favorite way to bet this game.

Bruce Thornton 2+ Made Threes (-158)

Thornton is the Buckeyes' main man, averaging 20.2 points per game on the season. He's also an excellent shooter, making 40.0% of his three point tries this season.

Thornton has managed to shoot that outstanding clip on high volume as he's taking an average of 8.2 threes per night. His volume and accuracy make this an appealing bet.

So does his recent output. Thornton has drained at least two threes in eight of his last nine games, including five straight.

He's also likely to see huge minutes, with Thornton logging at least 38 minutes in three consecutive games.

A senior getting to play in March Madness for the first time, Thornton has volume, three-point percentage and minutes on his side when it comes to his chances to hit multiple treys.

Check out our favorite March Madness sleepers and March Madness upset picks.

Which March Madness odds stand out to you this year? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.