Jake Diebler Previews Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament Matchup With TCU

Ohio State faces TCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Jake Diebler previewed the matchup and the Buckeyes’ keys to advancing.

Mar 13, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler directs his team against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

As the No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Ohio State will face No. 9 TCU on Thursday, March 19 in Greenville, South Carolina.

Jake Diebler previewed his first March Madness appearance as head coach of the Buckeyes and the team’s first trip to the tournament since 2022.

Ohio State’s late-season surge

After a blowout loss to Iowa in late February, Ohio State responded by beating Purdue, Penn State, Indiana, and Iowa, then battling with Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament.

“We’re playing our best ball at the right time of the year,” Diebler said. “Some teams are trying to reset. For us, we’re trying to keep going.”

Facing TCU

Ohio State’s coaching staff already started diving into TCU’s numbers prior to the Selection Sunday announcement. Diebler credited the Horned Frogs for their defense and Coach Dixon’s experience leading his team through big wins. 

Taking care of the ball will be a focal point for the Buckeyes as they face TCU’s gritty defense. Junior guard Brock Harding ranks No. 5 in the Big 12 in steals per game.

Ohio State is expected to have a fully healthy lineup for Thursday, including Brandon Noel, who made his return against Michigan and Taison Chatman, who was unavailable against the Wolverines on Friday due to injury.

A closer look at the bracket, region-by-region 🔍#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/nfzXEc9PEN

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 15, 2026

Keys to success

Experienced guards like Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. have been crucial pieces to the Buckeyes’ success, and Diebler said he believes Ohio State has one of the best backcourts in the country.

Pieces outside of the backcourt have also stepped up—including freshman Amare Bynum, who Diebler said he’s urging to be aggressive and keep being himself on the country’s biggest stage.

“That core five guys that have been the heavy minute guys for this team—Devin and Tilly included in that—these guys are ready,” Diebler said. “You can see it in their eyes.”

Ultimately, Ohio State’s focus heading into Thursday’s game remains defensive rebounding and valuing every possession like they have down the stretch. Shot quality also remains a top priority—sharing the ball and passing up a good shot for a great shot.

Despite the excitement from the team, including senior captain Bruce Thornton for his first March Madness appearance, the job is not done. “This season is not finished,” Diebler said. “We’ve got a final chapter to write.”

If Ohio State advances, they will face the winner of Duke and Siena.