Story by
Ohio State vs Montana State in March Madness: Prediction for 2025 NCAA Tournament opener
- Story by
- Ohio State vs Montana State in March Madness: Prediction for 2025 NCAA Tournament opener
Ohio State (25-6) , the No. 4 seed in the Birmingham 3 region, is opening its NCAA Tournament campaign against the No. 13 seed Montana State (30-3) on Friday at Value City Arena.
Montana State earned an automatic bid into the tournament after winning the Big Sky Tournament title with a buzzer-beater against Montana 58-57 on Wednesday.
Advertisement
The Buckeyes boosted their chance of securing hosting rights for the first two rounds of the tournament by advancing to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
In the conference quarterfinals, Ohio State defeated Iowa 60-59 before falling to UCLA 75-46 in the semifinals. UCLA is the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Related Ohio State women's basketball: Ohio State women top Iowa in quarterfinals of Big Ten basketball tournament
This marks the third consecutive year Ohio State is hosting the first rounds of the tournament, and the first ever meeting between Ohio State and Montana State.
Here is what to know about the matchup:
Advertisement
Ohio State women's basketball vs. Montana State breakdown
Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon and her teammates are 10-0 against teams outside the Power Four conferences this season.
Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff is entering his seventh NCAA Tournament, and the Buckeyes are undefeated in first-round matchups under his leadership.
Last year, the Buckeyes beat the No. 15 seed Maine 80-57 as the No. 2 seed in the first round. Ohio State was then upset in the second round by No. 7 Duke 75-63.
Montana State has been to the NCAA Tournament four times and has never won a tournament game.
The Bobcats' last appearance was in 2022, where they were eliminated by the No. 1 seed Stanford 78-37 in the first round.
Montana State recorded its first 30-win season and has a victory over a Power Four team in UCF, but Ohio State has a strong track record against mid-major schools this season.
Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon and her teammates are 10-0 against teams outside the Power Four conferences this season.
The Buckeyes are 10-0 against opponents from outside the Power Four conferences this year. They also have four players averaging 10-plus points compared to Montana State's two.
Advertisement
Ohio State women's basketball vs. Montana State prediction
Given the success Ohio State has had this season against non-Power Four schools, and the Buckeyes' success under McGuff in the first round of the tournament in past years, Ohio State will defeat Montana State, likely by a large margin of 15-plus points.
Who will the winner of Ohio State vs Montana State face in the NCAA Tournament second round?
The winner of the Ohio State-Montana State first-round matchup will face the winner of the No. 5 seed Tennessee's vs the No. 12 seed USF.
Where to watch Ohio State vs. Montana State
-
TV channel:ESPN2
-
Streaming: Fubo ( subscribe today )
Ohio State vs Montana State will tip off at 5:30 p.m. at Value City Arena on Friday, March 21. Tennessee vs USF will follow with an expected 8 p.m. tipoff.
Advertisement
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State vs Montana State prediction: Women's March Madness opener
