Elite Eight finalized Friday night

The last four of the final eight spots in this NCAA Tournament will be filled Friday night in regional semifinal action, headlined by the top-ranked team in the country going against one of the storied programs in college hoops as the Ohio State Buckeyes shoot it out with the Kentucky Wildcats (9:45 pm Eastern, CBS).

Friday starts with a Big East-ACC bout when Marquette's Golden Eagles play North Carolina's Tar Heels in a 2-vs.-11 seed match out of the East region in Newark (7:15 pm Eastern, CBS). Then it's David-vs.-Goliath as the Richmond Spiders take on the Kansas Jayhawks in a 1-vs.-12 game in the Southwest region down in San Antonio (7:27 Eastern, TBS). Then back in the East Ohio State and Kentucky meet in a 1-vs.-4 match. And then back down in the Southwest a couple of longer shots get together when the Florida State Seminoles and Virginia Commonwealth Rams play a 10-vs.-11 game (9:57 Eastern, TBS).

Big Ten dual champion Ohio State is now 34-2 straight-up and 18-15 vs. the oddsmaker.ag pointspreads this season, after drubbing UT-San Antonio 75-46 in their first game of this NCAA tournament and George Mason 98-66 on Sunday to reach the Sweet 16 for the second time in the last five seasons.

Meanwhile, SEC tournament champion Kentucky is now 27-8 SU and 14-15 ATS this season, after beating Princeton 59-57 in their opening game and West Virginia 71-63 on Saturday to reach the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row.

As of Wednesday morning Ohio State is favored by 5.5 points over Kentucky at oddsmaker.ag, with a total of 139.5. The Buckeyes are also a -240 favorite on the Oddsmaker moneyline, with the 'Cats getting +200 to win that game outright.

Even though Columbus and Lexington are only about 150 miles apart, these two programs haven't met on the court in 15 years.

Elsewhere on oddsmaker.ag's Big Dance betting board North Carolina is listed at -4.5 over Marquette, with an OVER/UNDER of 148.5. The Heels are also a -210 favorite on the moneyline, with the Eagles getting +175.

Kansas is a 10.5-point favorite over Richmond, with an O/U of 138. The Jayhawks are also moneylined at -750, with the Spiders getting +550 to pull off the shocker.

And defensive-minded Florida State is chalked at -3.5 over VCU, with a total of 133. The 'Noles are also giving -175 on the moneyline, with the Rams getting +155.

And on Oddsmaker's updated regional betting boards Ohio State is the favorite to win the East at -150, followed by North Carolina at +300, Kentucky at +400, and Marquette at +1,000. And Kansas is the top choice to win the Southwest at -400, followed by Florida State at +300, Richmond at +800, and VCU at +1,000.