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Ohio State, USC Battle for Better Spot on Bubble
Crucial matchup between NCAA Tournament bubble teams on Wednesday in Columbus
Feb. 11, 2026 at 12:07am
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The Big Ten regular season runs through March 8, but it gets late early for bubble teams eyeing a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Games between bubble teams are particularly crucial, so plenty will be on the line when Southern California (18-6, 7-6 Big Ten) plays Ohio State (15-8, 7-6) on Wednesday in Columbus. The Buckeyes are looking to bounce back from a lopsided loss to No. 2 Michigan, while the Trojans have won three straight and have been bolstered by recent additions like freshman Alijah Arenas and graduate transfer Kam Woods.
Why it matters
This matchup between two teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble is crucial, as both squads look to improve their resume and position themselves for a potential at-large bid. The outcome could have significant implications for their postseason hopes.
The details
Ohio State is looking to rebound after being outhustled and outmuscled in an 82-61 loss to No. 2 Michigan on Sunday. The Buckeyes have split their past 10 games and are currently No. 39 in the NET rankings, after being No. 41 on Selection Sunday last year and missing the NCAA Tournament for the third straight March. Meanwhile, USC (No. 48 in the NET) has won three straight games and has been boosted by the recent additions of freshman Alijah Arenas, who scored a game-high 24 points in a win over Penn State, and graduate transfer Kam Woods, who has provided a spark on the defensive end.
- The Big Ten regular season runs through March 8.
- Ohio State and USC play on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
The players
Jake Diebler
Second-year head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Bruce Thornton
Ohio State veteran who led the team with 16 points and 6 rebounds against Michigan.
Alijah Arenas
Freshman for USC who scored a game-high 24 points in a recent win over Penn State.
Kam Woods
Graduate transfer guard for USC who has provided a spark on the defensive end since joining the team a couple weeks ago.
Eric Musselman
Head coach of the USC Trojans.
What they’re saying
“This is a team that is resilient. This is a team that has responded all year long and so I have great confidence in what our response will be moving forward.”
— Jake Diebler, Head Coach, Ohio State Buckeyes
“(Kam Woods) leads our team in steals, and he joined us just a couple of weeks ago. We were severely lacking in creating extra possessions through defensive creativity on steals, and Kam Woods has changed our entire season since he came.”
— Eric Musselman, Head Coach, USC Trojans
What’s next
The winner of Wednesday's game between Ohio State and USC will take a step closer to securing an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, while the loser will face an uphill battle to make the field.
The takeaway
This matchup between two teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble is a crucial one, as both squads look to improve their resume and position themselves for a potential at-large bid. The outcome could have significant implications for their postseason hopes, making this a must-watch game for college basketball fans.
