Ohio State Earns No. 8 Seed, Double-Bye in Big Ten Tournament

Ohio State earned the No. 8 seed and a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. Here’s a look at the Buckeyes’ potential matchups and their path forward.

Ohio State Buckeyes guard John Mobley Jr. (0) shoots the ball against Indiana Hoosiers guard Tayton Conerway (6) in the second half of the NCAA game at Value City Arena on Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Big Ten Tournament schedule is set, and the Buckeyes earned the No. 8 seed and a double-bye. They will face the winner of Iowa and either Oregon or Maryland on Thursday, March 12 at 11 a.m. CT on BTN.

If the Buckeyes advance, their next game will be against No. 1 seed Michigan in the quarterfinals on Friday, March 13 at 11 a.m. CT.

How the Buckeyes stack up

If Ohio State faces Iowa: The Buckeyes only played Iowa once this season, and it was one of their lowest-scoring games of the year, losing 74–57. With a healthy starting lineup and the potential for forward Brandon Noel to be available off the bench, Ohio State would look for a much stronger offensive showing if given a chance at redemption.

If Ohio State faces Oregon: The Buckeyes took down Oregon in early January, 72–62. If they neutralize Oregon's 7-footer Nate Bittle, they would be in a favorable matchup again.

If Ohio State faces Maryland: The Buckeyes defeated Maryland 82–62 this season while shooting 57% from the field and going 8-of-17 from three. Elijah Saunders led the Terrapins with 20 points, but Ohio State’s offensive efficiency created separation early—something they would need to replicate in a potential rematch.

Against Michigan: The Buckeyes do not match up well with Michigan, both size-wise and stylistically. Ohio State lost to Michigan twice this season—74-62 in January and 82-61 in February. This game will come down to controlling the paint and limiting Michigan’s second-chance opportunities.

The #B1GMBBT bracket is set!

Get your tickets ➡️ https://t.co/fS9jDWQSva pic.twitter.com/zseMXebMIE

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 9, 2026

The Buckeyes’ current momentum 

Ohio State is coming off a three-game win streak with victories over Purdue, Penn State, and Indiana. 

In the Buckeyes’ last victory, captain Bruce Thornton became Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer. Despite the magnitude of the moment, he is still focused on what’s directly in front of him.

“We’ve got the Big Ten Tournament, and the type of mojo, confidence, and swagger we have I feel like we can make a big run,” Thornton said.

Ohio State is currently playing its best basketball of the season. Thornton is leading the team in scoring with 20.1 points per game, John Mobley Jr. is electric from three, shooting a Big Ten-best 42.4% from behind the arc, and the balanced scoring has been amplified by contributions from Amare Bynum and Devin Royal, along with Taison Chatman’s spark off the bench.

“We’re holding each other accountable at a high level,” Thornton said. “We understand what we need to win. Any given night, somebody can go off. When you’ve got that type of unselfishness on your team during this time, it can be very dangerous.”