Ohio State Basketball has made the NCAA Tournament as an 8-seed in the East Region and will play TCU in Greenville, South Carolina.

Jake Diebler’s team has caught fire in the last month, which he told us at the end of January, this team was positioned to do. Now fully healthy, the Buckeyes have been playing their best basketball late in the season, and they are going to be one of the more dangerous matchups in the entire NCAA Tournament bracket.

“This is a payoff moment,” Diebler said, “but we want to keep this momentum going. We’re playing our best ball at the right time of the year. Let’s keep it up.”

Ohio State, though, may have played itself into a more difficult path. In the 8-9 game against TCU, the Buckeyes would face No. 1 overall seed Duke in the Round of 32 with a win, a different road than if they had gotten in as a 6 or 11, or a 7 or 10, where they would have faced either a 2 or 3 seed in that part of the region.

Regardless of the matchup or path, Ohio State enters the NCAA Tournament with momentum and high energy, according to Jake Diebler. It is also the first appearance for four-year Buckeye Bruce Thornton. He and Diebler shared a hug following the announcement, the Ohio State head coach said.

GREENVILLE BOUND. Let’s get it. 🗣️#GoBucks | #FightToTheEnd pic.twitter.com/k1xXufrvZ7

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 15, 2026

Bruce Thornton has broken the program’s all-time scoring record and is leading the Buckeyes, but he’s getting help. Amare Bynum has come on strong late in the season — Diebler has one message for him heading into the tournament. “I just want him to keep being himself. He’s earned the ability to impact winning for this team. Young player on the biggest stage — he’s ready.”

John Mobley continues to shoot the ball at an elite level, leading the Big Ten in that category. Devin Royal and Christoph Tilly have contributed valuable minutes, and Brandon Noel is back. He played meaningful minutes against Michigan, and those proved valuable. Jake Diebler expects the Buckeyes to be fully healthy for Thursday’s matchup against TCU.

“I think we have one of the best backcourts in the country,” Diebler said. “This is when great players step up and have a chance to do something special, and we’re certainly gonna lean on those guys.”

Jake Diebler on veteran guards in the NCAA Tournament:

🗣️ “I think we have one of the best backcourts in the country.”

Diebler continued, saying Ohio State is going to lean on Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr.

— Blake T. Biscardi (@BlakeBiscardi) March 15, 2026

Ohio State went from a bubble team four weeks ago to squarely in the NCAA Tournament as an 8 seed. That is quite the rise for the Buckeyes and for Diebler, who has done an outstanding job keeping this team steady and trusting the vision established back in June. The head coach and his best player shared a moment when the bracket was revealed.

“Bruce and I have been talking about and working towards this together for a long time,” Diebler said. “We were standing next to each other, and there was a big hug when we saw our name pop up.”

Now the focus shifts immediately to the task ahead. “Some teams right now are probably saying, ‘We gotta reset and regain momentum,'” Diebler said. “For us, we gotta keep our momentum going. And I think that’s really valuable.”

This Ohio State team has the weapons to make a deep run in the tournament, but it will have to continue elevating its game, starting with TCU, and potentially Duke looming in the Round of 32. No matter what, the Buckeyes are one of the most dangerous teams in March.

“We still have a final chapter to write,” Diebler said, “and I’m excited about where our guys’ minds are and where we’re at health-wise so we can write this last chapter well.”