Ohio State Basketball Must Treat Next Season as Final Four or Bust

I’m sitting here inside Lucas Oil Stadium, in the heart of Big Ten country, watching Illinois take on UConn…with Michigan and Arizona set to take the same floor later.

Maybe it was the smashburgers or the sugar cream pie, but I’m feeling a bit queasy watching this.

Two rival programs. Two familiar logos. Both headlining the biggest weekend in college basketball. And Ohio State isn’t part of it. That needs to change. Because next season isn’t just about maximizing a window. There’s something else now. A little bit of redemption.

Especially if one of these teams finds a way to finish this run and hang a banner.

The Gap isn’t as wide as it feels.

Ohio State went a combined 0–4 against Michigan and Illinois this season. But that record doesn’t tell the full story. Two of those games were right there, tight, late, and within reach. The kind of games that come down to a possession or two.

And that’s what stands out sitting here watching both of these teams on this stage. They didn’t just arrive overnight. They improved significantly from one year to the next.

That’s the lesson. Because there’s no reason the Buckeyes can’t make that same kind of dramatic jump.

Anthony Thompson demands urgency.

Ohio State doesn’t often land players like this.

Anthony Thompson isn’t just a five-star. He’s the kind of recruit who reshapes expectations immediately.

You can make a real case that he's the most significant addition since Greg Oden.
And Ohio State has to treat it that way.

Because whether or not he ends up being a one-and-done, the Buckeyes need to prepare like he’s a lottery pick in June 2027.

That means they feature him and build around him now. Programs don’t get multiple years with players like this. They get one shot. With Amare Bynum back, this isn’t a rebuild. It’s a re-tool.

Attack the transfer portal like it’s the season.

If this is truly a Final Four-level push, the transfer portal can’t be approached cautiously.

It has to be attacked. Because the production is out there and available when the transfer portal opens on Tuesday.

They need players who have already done it.

Names like:
Flory Bidunga (Kansas) 13.3 PPG, 9 RPG
Camren Hunter (Central Arkansas) 21.0 PPG
Jackson Shelstad (Oregon) 15.6 PPG, 4.9 APG
Isaiah Johnson (Colorado) 16.9 PPG, 4 APG
Daeshun Ruffin (Jackson State) 23.3 PPG, 5.3 APG
Dontae Horne (Prairie View A&M) 20.1 PPG
Brody Robinson (Oakland) 17.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG
Logan Duncomb (Winthrop) 18.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG
Shelton Williams-Dryden (West Georgia) 20.7 PPG, 9.1 RPG
Javan Buchanan (Boise State) 12.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG
Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU) 15.3 PPG 6.5 APG

This isn’t about signing all of them. It’s about landing the right 2-4. That’s how teams build this fast. That’s how teams go from watching this weekend to participating.

At Ohio State, the expectation isn’t unclear. In football, it’s championship or bust. That mentality doesn’t need to be created. It just needs to carry over.

Because what’s playing out in Indianapolis isn’t unreachable.