The Ohio State Buckeyes find themselves in a precarious position after their recent stumble against Michigan State. With the NCAA Tournament on the horizon, their path forward is anything but certain.
The Buckeyes entered a critical seven-game stretch needing a 5-2 finish to bolster their tournament hopes. This challenging lineup included four ranked teams and three formidable unranked opponents.
They started with a narrow loss to the No. 15 Virginia Cavaliers, rebounded with a strong win over the No.
24 Wisconsin Badgers, only to falter again against No. 15 Michigan State.
Despite these setbacks, the Buckeyes have fought hard, with both losses decided by a mere 10 points combined. Now, they face a daunting task: winning four of their remaining six games to keep their tournament dreams alive.
ESPN's Bracketologist Joe Lunardi has weighed in, categorizing teams as Locks, Should be In, and Work to Do. Unfortunately for Ohio State, they fall into the latter category, alongside the Indiana Hoosiers, indicating their at-large bid is hanging by a thread.
Lunardi notes that while Ohio State's predictive ratings place them in the top 40, their national résumé rankings hover in the mid-40s, a precarious position in a projected 10-bid league. Their struggle against top-tier competition is evident with an 0-9 record against Quadrant 1 opponents, highlighting a critical area for improvement.
The Buckeyes' season has been marred by inconsistency. After a promising six-game win streak early on, they've struggled to maintain momentum, alternating wins and losses in 20 of their last 22 games. This pattern has been their Achilles' heel, preventing them from building the kind of sustained success needed for a strong tournament bid.
Despite these challenges, hope remains. With the Big Ten Tournament approaching, Ohio State must aim for a near-perfect finish to the regular season. A 3-1 or ideally 4-0 record in their final games would significantly enhance their chances.
The road ahead is tough, but if the Buckeyes can find their rhythm and string together a series of wins, they could still punch their ticket to the Big Dance. It's a high-stakes finish, and the team knows what's at stake.