Did Ohio State make it to March Madness? Buckeyes' NCAA Tournament status explored

The Ohio State Buckeyes were defeated 77-70 by the Iowa Hawkeyes on Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.

The loss was a factor that cost Ohio State (17-15), which finished 10th in the Big Ten, a chance to make the NCAA Tournament.

Did Ohio State make the 2025 NCAA Tournament?

Selection Sunday was thrilling for all the 68 teams involved, but not for the Ohio State Buckeyes. For the third consecutive year, OSU failed to secure a spot in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

The selection committee chose North Carolina, San Diego State, Texas, and Xavier as the last four teams to make the tournament on Sunday. It was obvious Ohio State would miss out after its late-season struggles, with the team's disappointing first-round exit in the Big Ten Tournament adding to its below-par season.

The Buckeyes, who finished 9-11 in the Big Ten, started the season with a win over the then-No. 19-ranked Texas Longhorns in November.

Ohio State had options to play in other tournaments like the National Invitation Tournament or the new College Basketball Crown tournament organized by Fox Sports. However, the team has declined the offer to participate in any competition, bringing its season to an end.

Speaking on Monday’s final radio show of the year, Ohio State coach Diebler said:

“Really, really hard decision because the competitor in me and the competitiveness of this team and program certainly wants to play and keep playing. If there’s a championship to win, we want to make a run at it.

“We had some time to evaluate what the future could hold. We saw (Sunday) night we were very much right there for the NCAA Tournament. The biggest thing for us is we’ve been playing in big-time, meaningful games for a significant stretch.”

Ohio State’s tournament history

Ohio State has had a roller coaster of a time in the NCAA Tournament in recent memory. The Buckeyes had success though under Thad Matta as he took them to the Final Four in 2012 and won five Big Ten regular-season crowns.

After Matta left, Chris Holtmann took over in 2017. He had a good first season with the Buckeyes, too, as they finished 25-9 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament but lost to Gonzaga. The team was also able to advance to the second round of the tournament the following year but was eliminated by Houston.

In the last few years, Ohio State has not been good. It lost to Villanova in the second round of the 2021-22 NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes also had a tough 2022-23 campaign, ending the season 16-19 and failing to make the Big Dance.

OSU has now missed out on another chance of making the tournament this year, echoing its drought between 2003 and 2005.

Who is favored to win March Madness 2025?

Jon Scheyer, the coach of the Duke Blue Devils, has developed a formidable team from a youthful Blue Devils squad.

Dominating the game on both offense and defense, Duke's Cooper Flagg is among the top collegiate basketball players. The forward sprained an ankle during the ACC Tournament. Notwithstanding Flagg's injury, the Blue Devils are a strong contender for the NCAA Tournament. With Flagg on the squad, the young Duke team has a chance to win the competition.