Ohio State will face Iowa in its first game of the Big Ten Tournament as Jake Diebler’s team looks to avenge its February loss in Iowa City.

CHICAGO — Jake Diebler noticed something different about warmups this week as he had every player on the floor. “For the first time, really, all season, every single player warmed up,” Diebler said. “It was really crowded in warmups.”

Forwards Puff Johnson and Brandon Noel have both returned to practice in limited capacities. While Jake Diebler said the staff needs more time to evaluate their availability, their presence increased the energy on the floor as the Buckeyes enter the Big Ten Tournament with real momentum.

“We’re trending in the right direction with guys,” Diebler said. But health, Diebler insisted, is only part of the equation. The more meaningful development has been harder to quantify as a chemistry that has quietly taken root over the past several weeks, turning an injury-laden roster looking for its footing into one that resembles the cohesive group Diebler envisioned before the season began.

“You can feel it,” he said. “Our guys are playing really tough. They’re playing really hard. They’re playing together.”

The inflection point was mid-February, where, despite losses, the numbers started pointing toward improvement, particularly on defense. As the roster gradually returned to health, that progress transferred into results, with the offense being the biggest beneficiary. Now, Ohio State is playing its best collective basketball of the season.

Ball movement has been clean, and decision-making has elevated with more high-percentage options available. The Buckeyes have shifted from a team that settled on offense to one that consistently attacks the paint and generates free-throw opportunities. “I think we’re an elite offense,” Diebler said. Ohio State’s offensive efficiency has reached levels the program hasn’t seen in nearly 15 years, and he credits the leap to philosophical changes and team chemistry.

“We’re sharing the ball. We’re trusting each other,” he said. “Playing inside-out, getting paint touches — those are things we’ve talked about all season.”

Taison Chatman has been a key bench contributor down the stretch, helping carry Ohio State’s offense. “We had to draw a line in the sand,” Diebler said. “There were things he needed to do at a certain level to help this team win.” Chatman met the standard. Jake Diebler gave him the minutes, and the results followed. “He earned it,” Diebler said. “And he’s made the most of that opportunity.”

Freshman forward Amare Bynum’s composure has been a constant throughout the season, prompting Diebler to admit he periodically has to recalibrate his thinking about his young player. “He’s played beyond just being a talented freshman,” Diebler said. “Sometimes I forget he is one.”

That maturity has given Diebler a coaching luxury, thanks to Bynum’s ability to execute, which has established trust amongst his teammates and coaching staff, allowing them to rely on him in key moments. He has knocked down countless big shots over the last month and even had 14 in the first half against Indiana. “It allows you to be creative,” Diebler said. “You can make adjustments and trust that the guys will go out and execute.”

Bracket projections have Ohio State positioned comfortably inside the NCAA Tournament field on the 9-seed line, but Diebler has kept that conversation out of the locker room. He’s staying true to the approach that carried the Buckeyes through the regular season finale on a momentous 3-game winning streak.

“I feel really good about where we are,” he said. “But we can’t change the way we’ve approached things.”

Ohio State is peaking at the right time, exactly as Diebler envisioned in June. This season has taken twists and turns for the Buckeyes, but they control their destiny in the postseason. Diebler said this is a “great group of guys who are close.” Their chemistry and togetherness will continue to fuel the run as they face Iowa in a rematch at noon on Thursday. The winner will face No. 1-seed Michigan on Friday.