Ohio State Basketball Faces No. 15 Michigan State With NCAA Tournament Stakes Rising

Ohio State heads to No. 15 Michigan State looking to build on its ranked win over Wisconsin. Here’s what the Buckeyes must do to earn a key road victory and strengthen their NCAA Tournament résumé.

Feb 17, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) drives to the basket as Wisconsin Badgers guard Braeden Carrington (0) defends during the second half at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Ohio State has another ranked test ahead as it faces No. 15 Michigan State on the road. The Buckeyes are coming off their most complete performance of the season—an 86–69 ranked win over Wisconsin.

The Spartans were defeated by Wisconsin last week, 92–71, but enter this matchup following a bounce-back win against UCLA—a team Ohio State also beat last month.

Here’s what the Buckeyes need to do to overcome the Spartans in what could be a major boost to their résumé as they continue to hover on the NCAA Tournament bubble.

Execute on the glass

Head coach Jake Diebler said defensive rebounding is one of the primary areas he wants to see carry over from the win over Wisconsin, especially after a stretch earlier in the season where the Buckeyes struggled to secure defensive rebounds and allowed opponents second-chance opportunities. That can’t resurface against Michigan State.

The Spartans are one of the Big Ten’s most efficient rebounding teams, ranking second in the conference in defensive rebounding (28+ per game) and second in offensive rebounding (13 per game).

Control Fears Jr. and Kohler

The Spartans’ offense runs through guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who is an elite playmaker. He leads the Big Ten in assists per game with 9.3 and averages 15.1 points per game. 

Fears will likely match up with Bruce Thornton, who is also a dynamic scoring guard. Thornton averages 19.9 points per game, coming in at No. 6 in the Big Ten. Thornton is coming off of one of the biggest games of his career where he had 27 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. 

Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler is also a strong presence in the paint, averaging 9.3 rebounds per game and attacking the basket more frequently as of late. The Buckeyes will need to limit fouls — an issue Diebler has repeatedly emphasized—finding the balance between defensive physicality and discipline.

Sustain effort for the entire game

Whether it’s fatigue or rhythm, the Buckeyes have occasionally fallen into scoring lulls. Diebler knows that can’t happen in this final stretch.

“This team has shown an ability to execute game plans well,” he said. “We’ve struggled at times to sustain it for the entirety of the game. With our schedule… you know how tough it is down the stretch. So we have to have that sustained effort for the entirety of the game.”

Tip-off is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. at Breslin Center, and the game will air on CBS.