March Madness Preview: Can Ohio State's Shooting Success Overcome Tournament Challenges?
The Ohio State Buckeyes finished fifth in the Big Ten with a 12-8 conference record (19-10 overall) and will face Penn State in their first Big Ten tournament game on Thursday at 9 p.m. in Indianapolis. A win would match them up against third-ranked Purdue in the quarterfinals.
According to Joe Lunardi's Bracketology, Ohio State currently projects as a 6-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Their seeding could improve to 3-5 with a deep Big Ten tournament run or slip slightly with an early exit, though they remain safely in the field either way.
Key Statistics:
- Shooting Effectiveness: 54.9% effective FG% (20th nationally)
- Two-Point Shooting: 54.2% (34th)
- Three-Point Shooting: 37.3% (28th)
- Total Rebounds: 190th nationally
- Offensive Rebounds: 7.8 per game (229th)
- Defensive Rebounds: 24.3 per game (107th)
The Buckeyes' efficient shooting is their greatest strength, while rebounding limitations due to lack of size could prove problematic against bigger teams. Their inconsistent play late in the season suggests they may win their Big Ten tournament opener but struggle to advance further.
Tournament Outlook:
- Big Ten: Likely win first game vs Penn State before facing tough matchup with Purdue
- NCAA: Currently projected as 6-seed with potential to move up with conference tournament success
- Key to Success: Must maintain shooting efficiency to overcome rebounding deficiencies
The Buckeyes have shown flashes of potential but will need to find more consistency to make a deep March run. Their shooting prowess gives them upset potential, but size limitations and recent inconsistency make an extended tournament stay unlikely.