How Ohio State Basketball Can Get Into NCAA Tournament After Upsetting Purdue

Here are a few steps Ohio State has to take if it wants to make the NCAA tournament.

Mar 1, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard John Mobley Jr. (0) celebrates with fans after the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes achieved a crucial victory on Sunday, overcoming No. 8 Purdue with a final score of 82-74.

This win was essential for Ohio State, as it might have been their final major game of the season—unless they can secure a standout victory against a top 25 team in the upcoming Big Ten tournament next week.

Ohio State has found itself on the NCAA tournament bubble in recent weeks, and many bracket experts predicted that the Buckeyes would be on the outside looking in.

With their win over Purdue, Ohio State has now moved to the right side of the bubble. However, there are still two gritty season games left, which could swing either way—good or bad.

How Ohio State can keep its tournament hopes alive

The Buckeyes will travel to Penn State on Wednesday, which could be a major trap game. Although the Nittany Lions have the worst record in the Big Ten, sitting at 3-15 in conference play, they did manage to pull off an impressive win over Iowa on Saturday.

If the Buckeyes were to falter against Penn State, it could erase all the hard work they put in against Purdue. Ohio State needs to step into Happy Valley and come out with a win, no matter how it unfolds.

Ohio State's final regular season game will be at home against Indiana, a team in a similar position to the Buckeyes. The Hoosiers are also on the tournament bubble, and whoever comes out on top in this matchup will gain the upper hand over the other.

If the Buckeyes want to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament, they have to beat Indiana. When it comes down to those two teams on Selection Sunday, the committee will likely favor the team that won in their head-to-head matchup.

If Ohio State wins both of its next two games, it could start thinking about the NCAA tournament. The Buckeyes will likely make it unless a major upset occurs, such as unexpected teams winning their conference tournaments and taking bids.

If Ohio State wants to bolster its chances, it needs to win its next two games and put together a strong performance in the Big Ten tournament. If the Buckeyes can take down a team like Iowa in the tournament and manage to upset teams like Nebraska or Illinois, or even Michigan, they could steer clear of the NCAA Tournament bubble and secure a spot in the dance as a potential No. 10 seed.