Ohio State returns to the NCAA Tournament with a first-round showdown against No. 9-seed TCU as Bruce Thornton and the Buckeyes look to advance.
The time has finally come: Ohio State will be competing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign. After a February to forget, the Buckeyes won four of the last five games, one of those against the eventual Big Ten Tournament champions in Purdue.
Ohio State earned an 8-seed and a matchup with TCU. This could not have come at a better time, considering the layoff since Ohio State’s last tournament appearance. Of course, the prospect of Senior captain Bruce Thornton never making it to the dance in his storied career.
Matchup-wise, this should be a winnable game for the Buckeyes, as they hold the edge in several offensive categories and have the overall size advantage. TCU does not play anyone over 6’9 in its lineup. Aside from Ohio State’s 7-footer duo in Christoph Tilly and Ivan Njegovan, they will also be able to match up with the likes of Amare Bynum and Brandon Noel, who both measure 6’8 playing the stretch 3-4 position.
However, this game will be a challenge for John Mobley Jr., both in the matchup and in responding to a subpar overall performance against Michigan, particularly on the defensive end.
Now, height obviously is not everything when it comes to having the edge on the boards or in the paint. Effort and physicality will also always factor in when evaluating such. If you ask TCU, they aren’t short on confidence with Sophomore forward David Punch proclaiming, “I think at the end of the day we win this [game] 9 times out of 10 because of how physically gifted we are.”
Not to say that Punch and his teammates can’t back these words up, but this kind of bold statement is certainly something that Jake Diebler and the Buckeyes can, and should, use as motivation.
To the Horned Frogs’ credit, they have been able to play defense that puts them in the top third of the country, rankings-wise. They have also excelled in offensive rebounds per game and free-throw attempts, ranking No. 65 and No. 56 nationally in those categories. TCU will try its best to utilize the free-throw line and second-chance points against the Buckeyes, as well as to bottle up Bruce Thornton to the best of its abilities.
Ohio State has been an entirely different team over the past few weeks since getting healthy, and the physicality has followed. In fact, one of the Friday words out of Dusty May’s mouth after the Big Ten Tournament matchup with OSU was giving praise to Ohio State’s “physicality” and “discipline.” If this kind of mentality continues against TCU, combined with an offense that currently ranks No. 12 nationally in shooting efficiency, then a first-round win should be attainable for the Buckeyes.
Grant Kincaid was born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised in Dayton. He serves as Creative Director and basketball contributor at The Silver Bulletin. At one point, Grant, a collegiate baseball player, also holds a B.A. in Management and Leadership Studies. Aside from the Buckeyes, he is an avid supporter of both the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals. His favorite Buckeyes include Braxton Miller, AJ Hawk, and Ted Ginn Jr.