Ohio State Buckeyes Await NCAA Tournament Fate After Close Loss to Michigan

Buckeyes' strong finish to regular season should secure them a tournament bid despite narrow defeat in Big Ten quarterfinals

Mar. 13, 2026 at 6:49pm

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The Ohio State Buckeyes fell just short in a hard-fought 71-67 loss to the No. 3 ranked Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. Despite the defeat, the Buckeyes appear poised to earn an NCAA Tournament bid after finishing the regular season strong and compiling a 20-11 record.

Why it matters

Ohio State's late-season surge has put them in strong position to make the NCAA Tournament, which would mark the first tournament appearance for head coach Jake Diebler. A tournament bid would be a significant accomplishment for the program after some mid-season struggles.

The details

The Buckeyes' loss to Michigan was their third defeat to the Wolverines this season, but the closest margin of the three meetings. Ohio State finished the regular season at 20-11 and picked up a key win over Iowa in the Big Ten tournament. They are currently ranked No. 31 in the NET rankings, putting them firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble.

  • The Buckeyes fell to Michigan 71-67 in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals on March 13, 2026.
  • Ohio State closed the regular season with an 8-point win over No. 8 Purdue and a double-digit victory over Indiana to reach 20 wins.
  • The Buckeyes defeated Iowa in the Big Ten tournament on March 12, 2026.

The players

Jake Diebler

The head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team, who has led the program's late-season surge to put them in position for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Michigan Wolverines

The No. 3 ranked college basketball team that defeated Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, advancing to the semifinals.

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What they’re saying

“This team got hot at the right time and a close loss to Michigan on a neutral court should be enough for the selection committee to confirm this team belongs in the tournament.”

— Steve Kubitza, Sports Writer

What’s next

The Buckeyes will now wait anxiously for Selection Sunday to see if they have done enough to earn an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Ohio State's strong finish to the regular season and narrow loss to a top-ranked Michigan team has put them in good position to make the NCAA Tournament, a significant accomplishment for a program that was on the bubble just a month ago.