Ohio State's Puff Johnson Sees Buckeyes Peaking at Right Time for NCAA Tournament

Johnson, the only Buckeye with NCAA Tournament experience, draws parallels between this year's Ohio State team and his 2022 North Carolina squad that made an unexpected run to the national title game.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 10:05am

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Puff Johnson, a transfer from North Carolina who is the only active Ohio State player with NCAA Tournament experience, believes the Buckeyes are trending in the right direction heading into the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Johnson, who was part of North Carolina's surprise run to the national title game in 2022, sees similarities between that Tar Heels team and this year's Ohio State squad, which earned a No. 8 seed and will face No. 9 seed TCU in the first round.

Why it matters

As the only Buckeye with March Madness experience, Johnson's perspective provides valuable insight into what it takes to make an unexpected tournament run. His experience playing in two of college basketball's biggest rivalries - North Carolina-Duke and Ohio State-Michigan - also gives him a unique vantage point on the intensity and pressure of the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Johnson, who played a key role off the bench for North Carolina's 2022 team that reached the national title game, believes the Buckeyes are "playing one of their best brands of basketball" heading into the tournament. He sees similarities between this year's Ohio State squad and the 2022 Tar Heels, who were not expected to make a deep run but ended up shocking No. 1 seed Baylor in the second round before advancing to the championship game.

  • On March 19, Ohio State will play its first NCAA Tournament game in four years after earning a No. 8 seed.
  • In 2022, Johnson played in all six games of North Carolina's tournament run that ended in a loss to Kansas in the national title game.

The players

Puff Johnson

A transfer from North Carolina who is the only active Ohio State player with NCAA Tournament experience, having played a key role off the bench for the Tar Heels' surprise run to the 2022 national title game.

Hubert Davis

The first-year head coach of the 2022 North Carolina team that made the national title game.

Mike Krzyzewski

The legendary Duke head coach who retired after the 2021-22 season, with his final game being a loss to North Carolina in the Final Four.

Jake Diebler

An Ohio State assistant coach who told the team in early February that teams at this time of year are either getting better or worse.

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What they’re saying

“Just like you saw tonight, like you've seen in the last couple weeks, we can play with anyone. That's the thing, especially when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. That's what makes a team dangerous. Once you're in the field, it doesn't matter rankings, it's roll the ball out and you've got to win 40 minutes.”

— Puff Johnson

“Coach [Jake Diebler] alluded to it in early February. He said that teams at this time of year, they either go up or they go down. They're getting better or they're getting worse. At least since I've been here, I feel like we're playing one of our best brands of basketball. We've just got to keep it rolling.”

— Puff Johnson

What’s next

On March 19, Ohio State will face No. 9 seed TCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina. A win would likely set up a second-round matchup with overall No. 1 seed Duke.

The takeaway

Puff Johnson's experience from North Carolina's surprise 2022 NCAA Tournament run provides valuable perspective for an Ohio State team that is peaking at the right time and looking to make its own unexpected March Madness journey. Johnson's insights into the intensity of college basketball's biggest rivalries and the importance of seizing the moment in the tournament could prove crucial for the Buckeyes as they aim to advance deep into the field.