After a late-season push that included wins over Purdue, Penn State, Indiana, and Iowa, Ohio State secured an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament and will open March Madness against 9-seed TCU in Greenville, South Carolina. The turnaround marks a significant moment for the program and gives the Buckeyes real momentum entering the tournament.

Episode 28 of Off-Script Ohio captured a program moving in two directions at once. On the hardwood, Ohio State is playing its best basketball at the right time. On the football field, spring practice has begun revealing early hints about how the 2026 roster could take shape.

Ohio State’s late-season run changed everything. The win over top-ten Purdue was the spark, but the Buckeyes followed it up by beating Penn State and Indiana, then adding another victory against Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament before falling to Michigan in the quarterfinals.

That stretch was enough to push Ohio State safely into the NCAA Tournament field. The Buckeyes now face a 21–11 TCU team that finished sixth in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs are built around defense, ranking 22nd nationally in defensive efficiency according to KenPom, and they arrive in strong form after winning nine of their last eleven games.

But the analytics lean Ohio State’s way. The Buckeyes rank 26th in KenPom, making them the highest-rated 8-seed in the bracket, while TCU sits 43rd overall. As a result, Ohio State opened as roughly a 2.5-point favorite.

If the Buckeyes advance, the likely reward is a second-round matchup with No. 1 overall seed Duke, led by projected top NBA Draft pick Cameron Boozer. Duke remains a title contender, though injuries late in the season created a few unexpected close calls in the ACC Tournament.

For now, Ohio State’s focus remains simple, beat TCU and give themselves the chance.

The Buckeyes’ late surge has not happened by accident. The starting lineup has stabilized, and Amare Bynum’s emergence in the frontcourt has added balance to a roster that already relied heavily on guards Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr.

Ohio State is also finally getting healthier, allowing Jake Diebler to build a more consistent rotation. And then there is Thornton. Already Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer, the senior now has a chance to extend that legacy on college basketball’s biggest stage.

While basketball commands the spotlight, spring football has quietly begun in Columbus. Early practice notes show a projected first-team offensive line of Austin Siereveld, Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman, Gabe VanSickle, and Phillip Daniels, a group with both experience and upside.

On defense, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Beau Atkinson have taken early first-team reps at defensive end, with Alabama transfer Qua Russaw working primarily with the defensive line.

At wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Inniss, and transfer Devin McCuin have been working with the first-team offense, hinting that McCuin could be a serious contender for the WR2 role.

And one name generating early buzz, Legend Bey, whose speed has already caught attention during the first practices.

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