Siena vs. Ohio State - Saints may wear the Slippers Again

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Ohio State Buckeyes (22-10 SU, 17-11 ATS)

NCAA Tournament (@ Dayton, O.)

: OHIO STATE -3, Total 141.5

Here are some of the NCAAB sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* SIENA has won eight of its last nine games SU

* SIENA has played nine of its last 13 games OVER the total

* OSU has won and covered four of its last five games

* OSU has played five of its last six games UNDER the total

Siena got a lot of respect by the NCAA selection committee, garnering a #9 seed, which is not common for a school that played in the Metro Atlantic Conference. The Saints played in some very strong company, however, before the conference season started. After wins over Boise State and Cornell (the Ivy representative in the Big Dance), Siena lost games along the way to other NCAA entrants like Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Pittsburgh and Kansas. They stayed relatively competitive in all of those games, and suffered only two MAAC defeats, avenging 15-point loss to Niagara with a 77-70 victory in the conference tourney final.

This is a team with impressive balance, headed by perhaps the MAAC's best player in Kenny Hasbrouck, who has started 127 games and won back-to-back post-season tournament MVP awards. Edwin Ubiles (14.6 ppg, 49% FG's) is a great complement for him, as are Ryan Rossiter (7.8 rpg) and Alex Franklin (7.3 rpg).

While admittedly they're not awed by anyone, size is a problem for Siena in most games against higher-level opposition. Some observers wonder if that could be the case against Ohio State, which trots out freshman center BJ Mullens, who shot 63% from the field. However, Mullens has not developed as rapidly as some thought he might; he has started only one game, and he's scored just 7.6 ppg over his last five. Swingman Evan Turner (17.1 ppg) and guards Jon Diebler and William Buford (a freshman) are players Siena wants to account for, but that is not necessarily going to leave them looking - or feeling - like midgets.

Ohio State started the season very hot, with wins over Miami, Notre Dame and Butler, and was hailed as a possible Final Four contender by some. Despite their drive to the Big Ten title game (with a close loss to Purdue), this has not been quite the same team without the intangibles provided by veteran captain David Lightly, who was perhaps the team's most well-rounded player and brought a lot of intangibles to the table before suffering a season-ending foot injury. This is exactly the kind of scenario in which Lightly would come in most handy for the Buckeyes. There weren't a lot of important wins away from Columbus in the latter stages, and we're not sure a Big Ten tourney win over Michigan State, which was already assured of a high NCAA seed, is a good barometer as to where they are right now.

While Ohio State was driving to an NIT title last year, this Siena group was beating Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA's. They're capable of surprising again, and thus we'll grab three points with the underdog Saints in the BetUS odds.

JAY'S PLAY: SIENA +3 **

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)