Three Reasons Why Ohio State Basketball Lost to TCU in March Madness

Here are three reasons why Ohio State fell to TCU in March Madness.

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) shoots the ball against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Ohio State's basketball season came to a close on Thursday, as it fell 66-64 to TCU in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Buckeyes haven't participated in March Madness since 2022, so it was great to be back in the big tournament. However, a win would have made it even sweeter.

Here are three reasons why Ohio State fell short of winning its first tournament games in four years.

Bruce Thornton didn't have the best day

Ohio State's senior point guard, Bruce Thornton, had a tough game. After waiting four years to compete in the Big Dance, he only managed to score 10 points on nine shot attempts.

Thornton seemed a bit too passive at times during the game, and even though he hit a crucial 3-pointer to tie the game at 64 with under 35 seconds left, he didn’t have a standout day scoring. This is somewhat surprising since he is the leading scorer in Ohio State's men's basketball history.

If Thornton had shown up a bit more on the offensive end, the Buckeyes might have secured the win. However, he is a key reason Ohio State made the tournament, and unfortunately, he just didn’t have his best afternoon.

Rebouding

The Buckeyes struggled on the boards, getting out-rebounded 38 to 32 overall. Yet, the real difference came in offensive rebounds. Ohio State allowed TCU to snag 12 offensive boards, while the Buckeyes managed only six.

Ohio State gave up way too many second-chance opportunities, and if it had secured a few more rebounds, TCU would have faced significant challenges. That could have turned the tide and potentially led to an Ohio State victory.

3-point shooting and foul shooting

Neither team was particularly strong from the 3-point line: TCU made 9 of 23, while Ohio State struggled, hitting only 6 of 23. It’s quite possible that if the Buckeyes had managed to make just one more 3-pointer, they could have turned the game around. Unfortunately, they just couldn’t find their rhythm beyond the arc.

Ohio State did a great job shooting free throws, hitting 9 out of 10. This raises an important question: why didn’t it drive to the basket more often to draw fouls and get to the line?

TCU committed only 13 fouls in the game, and if it had fouled a bit more, Ohio State could have earned some free throws and had more opportunities for easy scoring.