The feedback and pleasure oozing from head coach Jake Diebler about what this yr’s Ohio State basketball crew may very well be are palpable. The Buckeyes retained key contributors like John Mobley Jr. and Amare Bynum and welcome in five-star freshman Anthony Thompson. Even former gamers who’ve come again have been vocal concerning the improve in size and athleticism.
That optimism hasn’t permeated via the nationwide media, nonetheless, no less than not but. Case in level: ESPN resident NCAA Tournament bracket projection professional Joe Lunardi up to date his latest bracketology efforts, and he nonetheless has the Buckeyes squeaking into the sphere as a No. 9 seed, the identical seed line they had been on over the last replace. That means Ohio State can be part of the dreaded No. 8/9 recreation, the identical because it was final yr as a No. 8 seed when it lost a heartbreaker to TCU.
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Of course, these items can — and can — change many occasions over from this level within the offseason via the official 2026-27 season, however for now, Lundardi has OSU within the South area, enjoying No. 8 seed Auburn in San Antonio. That’s not giving Ohio State a lot in the best way of bettering from final season, and may need OSU squarely on the bubble because the season heads down the stretch.
Regardless, all of those projections are merely a best-guess on how issues will go, so we’ll see if the optimistic vibes across the program end in on-court success or not as we proceed to comply with the place the bracketologists on the market have Ohio State touchdown within the postseason.
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This article initially appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Summer ESPN Joe Lunardi Bracketology update: Where is Ohio State?