Ohio State's Tournament Lives are on the Line in Happy Valley

All right, here we are again.

There is no rest when it comes to the Ohio State Buckeyes making the 2026 NCAA Tournament, as they have put themselves in a tough position, but they are more than alive to make the tournament.

The Buckeyes are fresh off taking down the No. 8 Purdue Boilermakers, but tomorrow, against the lowly Penn State Nittany Lions may be a tougher matchup for Ohio State.

You may be thinking, there is no way, as Penn State is just 12-17 on the year and a disgusting 3-15 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions are limping into the Big Ten Tournament, but that doesn't matter; Ohio State has to show up.

The Buckeyes have not put together two straight victories since back-to-back wins over UCLA and Minnesota on Jan 17 and Jan 20. It's been nearly two months since they have strung together back-to-back victories, and they simply need to get the job done to stay alive. 

Ohio State's Achilles heel is inconsistency. This year's squad has constantly failed to build on the momentum that they have created at any point this year, but that needs to change.

The Buckeyes put together one of the most confusing weeks that you will ever see last week. After blowing out Wisconsin by nearly 20 points, they responded with a tough six-point loss to Michigan State.

The game in East Lansing pointed to the Buckeyes being tough because they played well and competed. Unfortunately, it was short-lived. 

They followed that up with an embarrassing and heartless blowout loss to Iowa. All hope felt lost, and then on Sunday, they welcomed the No. 8 Boilermakers to the Schott and took them down.

Now, they face a Penn State team that they are 1-0 against this season. In late January, the Nittany Lions came to Columbus, and the Buckeyes beat them by eight points. They were led by John Mobley Jr's 25-point, five-assist evening that fueled the victory.

The Buckeyes should be oozing with confidence heading into this game. For the most part, this year, they have handled the inferior competition on their schedule, so this one should be no issue for the Buckeyes. 

If Ohio State wins, they will likely be in the tournament no matter what. If they lose, they likely drop to the first four out, again. 

The Buckeyes are in a dangerous and desperate spot. They looked that way on Sunday against Purdue and they must carry that mindset into this matchup and play like they have everything to lose.

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