Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament Fate Revealed: Joe Lunardi’s Shocking Latest Projection Unveiled!
The Big Ten is projected to have 11 teams make the NCAA Tournament, led by Purdue as a No. 1 seed. From there, Lunardi’s bracket includes Michigan (No. 2 seed), Illinois and UCLA (No. 4 seeds), Michigan State (5), Oregon, USC and Wisconsin (No. 7 seeds), Maryland (9) and Iowa as a No. 11 seed. The Hawkeyes are listed second among the last four teams in the tournament while Washington is the first team on the wrong side of the cut line.
- Ohio State is projected as a No. 6 seed in the South region of the NCAA Tournament, according to Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology.
Two months ago, Lunardi had Ohio State as a No. 4 seed in the tournament but dropped them to a No. 6 seed in his June 24 update.Ohio State’s basketball journey toward the 2026 NCAA Tournament is carving out an intriguing narrative, one that’s caught the discerning eyes of bracketologists like Joe Lunardi. Despite some fluctuations in seeding projections—from a promising No. 4 seed earlier this summer to a current No. 6 in the South region—the Buckeyes maintain their spot firmly in the tournament picture. Slated to face an 11th-seeded Memphis squad, featuring a familiar face in former Buckeye Aaron Bradshaw, Ohio State’s path is laden with challenges and opportunities that could reignite the program’s competitive flame. With three starters back and the program’s leadership setting sky-high expectations, the stage is set for a season filled with hard-fought battles and potential glory in the Big Ten and beyond. LEARN MORETwo other Big Ten teams are among the first four out: Indiana is right behind Washington while Nebraska is fourth.
In a July 29 update, Lunardi has the Buckeyes as a No. 6 seed playing in the South region. There, Ohio State would draw a first-round matchup with No. 11 seed Memphis for the right to play the winner of a game between No. 3 seed Arizona and No. 14 seed Arkansas State in San Diego. This year, Memphis will feature former Buckeye Aaron Bradshaw, who transferred to the Tigers after one year in Columbus.
The Buckeyes return three starters in senior Bruce Thornton, junior Devin Royal and sophomore John Mobley Jr. They have missed the last three NCAA Tournaments, finishing essentially one win away from being on the right side of the 2025 bubble, and athletic director Ross Bjork told The Dispatch in June that his expectations are for Ohio State to annually be in the top quadrant of the Big Ten and make deep NCAA Tournament runs.
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