Ohio State Women's Basketball Earns 5th Straight NCAA Tournament Bid

Buckeyes land No. 3 seed in Fort Worth region, will face Howard in first round

Mar. 16, 2026 at 1:27am

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The Ohio State women's basketball team has earned its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth after finishing the regular season 26-7 and placing fourth in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes will be the No. 3 seed in the Fort Worth region and will face No. 14 Howard in the first round, with the winner advancing to play the winner of No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 11 Fairfield.

Why it matters

Ohio State's women's basketball program has established itself as a consistent tournament contender under head coach Kevin McGuff, making the Big Dance in five straight seasons. The Buckeyes are looking to build on recent Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight appearances and make a deep run in this year's tournament.

The details

The Buckeyes will host the first and second round games at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus. Ohio State lost to UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament, but finished the regular season 26-7 and fourth in the conference standings. The team is seeking to advance past the second round for the first time since 2023.

  • The NCAA Tournament first and second round games will be played on Saturday, March 22, 2026.

The players

Ohio State Buckeyes

The women's basketball team at Ohio State University, a consistent NCAA Tournament participant under head coach Kevin McGuff.

Howard Bison

The women's basketball team from Howard University, an HBCU located in Washington, D.C., that earned an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament as the champion of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The women's basketball team from the University of Notre Dame, a perennial NCAA Tournament contender that earned an at-large bid to the 2026 tournament as a No. 6 seed.

Fairfield Stags

The women's basketball team from Fairfield University, a small private school in Connecticut, that earned an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament as an 11 seed.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to be back in the NCAA Tournament and have the opportunity to host the first and second rounds here in Columbus. Our team has worked hard all season to earn this bid, and we're ready to make a deep run.”

— Kevin McGuff, Head Coach, Ohio State Women's Basketball (cleveland.com)

What’s next

The Buckeyes will host the first and second round games of the NCAA Tournament at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus on Saturday, March 22, 2026.

The takeaway

Ohio State's women's basketball program has become a consistent force in the NCAA Tournament, earning five straight bids and looking to build on recent Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight appearances. The Buckeyes will have the home-court advantage as they host the early rounds of this year's tournament, giving them a chance to make a deep run and potentially reach the program's first Final Four since 2018.