Ohio
Buckeyetology: Ohio State Entrenched on NCAA Tournament Bubble As Season Heats Up
Buckeyetology is back thanks to the recent efforts of the 2024-25 Buckeyes.
Last year I ran this piece for exactly three weeks in January, the first edition on Jan. 9 when Ohio State was projected as a seven seed in the NCAA Tournament and the last on Jan. 25 when the Buckeyes fell outside the Big Dance picture after an all-to-familiar January collapse under Chris Holtmann. More losses followed and despite a late-season surge under then-interim head coach Jake Diebler, the Buckeyes settled for the NIT.
One year since that discontinuation, the series is suddenly worth resurrecting. Thoughts of a first-season tourney bid for the Diebler regime were mere pipe dreams 10 days ago, with the Buckeyes standing at 10-8 and preparing to play No. 11 Purdue on the road.
Then Ohio State went and beat the Boilermakers in Mackey Arena, the first time they had fallen there in nearly 700 days. That momentum carried over to a blowout win over Iowa on Tuesday, the two victories Quad 1 and Quad 2 wins for NCAA Tournament purposes.
Not only is there a chance for Ohio State to bounce back from a 1-4 start to January to close 4-4 at Penn State on Thursday, the Buckeyes are right in the thick of the NCAA Tournament conversation. Their conference standing for the Big Ten Tournament – no longer a guarantee as only 15 of the conference’s 18 teams make it starting this year – has improved in equal measure.
NCAA Tournament Outlook
Projections from a variety of the nation’s best bracketologists have Ohio State among the last four teams in the NCAA Tournament as things stand.
| Overall Record | 12-8 |
| Home | 8-4 |
| Road | 2-3 |
| NET Ranking | 29th |
| Q1 Record | 3-6 |
| Q2 Record | 2-2 |
| Strength of Schedule | 14th |
That’s true for ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, who places the Buckeyes in the first of his last four in slots ahead of Texas, North Carolina and UCF. Bracketmatrix.com has 85 different bracket projections aggregated and Ohio State makes the Big Dance in 71 of them. 59 of those have the Buckeyes as an 11-seed, the last seed line for at-large bids. One of the 14 brackets excluding the Buckeyes is CBS’ Jerry Palm, who has OSU as the first team out of the tourney.
A 12-8 record isn’t great on its surface, but the strength of the Buckeyes’ schedule boosts the value of that mark. Diebler had the fortitude to set up five non-conference matchups with power conference opponents, and though Ohio State went 2-3 against those teams, it picked up valuable Quadrant 1 wins against Texas and then-No. 4 Kentucky on neutral courts.
The depth of the Big Ten is also bolstering the Buckeyes’ schedule strength. Seven other schools in the conference are projected as being in the NCAA Tournament by the bracket matrix. Ohio State gets opportunities at two more Q1 wins in league play this week at Penn State and No. 18 Illinois.
Lastly, the Buckeyes’ NET ranking of 29th is the best among its competitors along the bubble, a reflection of its aforementioned schedule strength and its handful of quality wins. Every single Ohio State loss also falls into either Q1 or Q2, Indiana being the worst loss on its résumé with a NET ranking of 68th.
| RNK | TEAM | B1G RECORD | OVR RECORD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MICHIGAN STATE | 9-0 | 18-2 |
| 2 | PURDUE | 8-2 | 16-5 |
| 3 | MICHIGAN | 7-2 | 15-5 |
| 4 | WISCONSIN | 6-3 | 15-4 |
| 5 | MARYLAND | 6-4 | 16-5 |
| 5 | UCLA | 6-4 | 15-6 |
| 5 | ILLINOIS | 6-4 | 14-6 |
| 8 | OREGON | 5-4 | 16-4 |
| 9 | INDIANA | 5-5 | 14-7 |
| 10 | USC | 4-5 | 12-8 |
| 10 | OHIO STATE | 4-5 | 12-8 |
| 12 | IOWA | 4-6 | 13-8 |
| 13 | NORTHWESTERN | 3-6 | 12-8 |
| 13 | RUTGERS | 3-6 | 10-10 |
| 15 | PENN STATE | 3-7 | 13-8 |
| 15 | MINNESOTA | 3-7 | 11-10 |
| 17 | NEBRASKA | 2-7 | 12-8 |
| 18 | WASHINGTON | 1-8 | 10-10 |
Big Ten Outlook
With the Big Ten Tournament format shifting to 15 teams this year, the bottom three teams will be excluded in the conference while the top nine schools receive a first-round bye and the top four receive a double-bye to the tourney’s quarterfinals.
The Penn State game not only offers a chance for Ohio State to bring its January record back to .500, it can level out its mark in the Big Ten, too. A victory over the Nittany Lions would bring the Buckeyes back to 5-5 in conference play.
A win at Penn State would put valuable distance between Ohio State and the bottom three spots in the conference, which will be left out of the conference tournament. The Buckeyes’ current 4-5 record in the league has them 1.5 games ahead of that placement, with the Nittany Lions and Minnesota tied at 3-7 for third-to-last. Nebraska (2-7) and Washington (1-8) have worse conference marks.
With a strong close to the year, a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament and Ohio State’s first NCAA Tournament bid in three seasons are well within reach.
Ohio
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Ohio
Math plan would help a generation of Ohio students | Opinion
Aaron Churchill is the Ohio research director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank based in Columbus.
In November, the Ohio Senate unanimously passed math reforms that would help a generation of struggling students. House lawmakers should send that excellent package known as Senate Bill 19 to the governor’s desk post haste.
Math difficulties start early for many Ohio students. Last year, 45,000 third graders, or 36% statewide, fell short of proficiency on the state math exam. These youngsters had difficulty solving basic arithmetic and measurement problems. Without such skills, big trouble lies ahead for them.
Meanwhile, even larger percentages of high schoolers fare poorly in this subject. On last year’s algebra I state exam, 53,000 students – 41% of test takers – did not achieve proficiency, while a staggering 72,000 students (57%) fell short in geometry.
These failure rates are unacceptable. Students should not be left to struggle with the routine math needed to manage their personal finances, bake a cake or do a home repair. Nor should they lack the critical thinking, data interpretation and problem solving skills that are demanded by today’s employers and essential to career success.
Ohio must help more students gain fluency in math. Senate Bill 19 does this in the following ways.
First, it supports students with math deficiencies. The bill would require schools to provide math interventions to students scoring at the lowest achievement level (known as “limited”) on state tests. Importantly, schools must engage a child’s parents to create an individual improvement plan that outlines the interventions and how progress will be monitored.
Second, the bill promotes strong math curricula. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce would be tasked with reviewing math materials and establishing a high-quality list. With dozens of programs and textbooks on the market – some far better than others – this vetting process would aid school districts in finding the best curriculum for their students.
Third, it asks colleges of education to better prepare elementary teachers. Research from the National Council on Teacher Quality shows that teacher training programs often lack serious math content, especially in the elementary grades, leaving teachers ill-prepared for effective instruction. To help address the problem, the bill mandates that prospective educators pass the math section of the state licensure test to teach the subject, something that is not presently required.
Fourth, it gives high-achieving math students a boost. Traditional course placement practices rely on teacher and parent referrals, which tend to overlook economically disadvantaged students who excel in math. Yet, as a recent Fordham Institute study found, access to advanced coursework is critical to high-achieving, low-income students’ college prospects. Through automatic enrollment provisions, Senate Bill 19 would ensure that all high achievers are placed in challenging math courses, including algebra I in eighth grade.
Some may view Senate Bill 19 as burdensome on schools. But the need for significant improvement in math is urgent and the reforms are commonsense. Students struggling in math ought to get help. Schools should use the best-available textbooks and materials. Teachers should know math before they teach it. Schools must push high achievers to reach their full potential.
Math and reading are the academic pillars that support students’ long-term success as well as the state’s economic growth. Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Mike DeWine, Ohio’s Science of Reading initiative is off to a strong start and promises stronger literacy statewide. It’s now time for policymakers to roll up their sleeves and help students get better at math. Their futures – and the state’s – are at stake.
Aaron Churchill is the Ohio research director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank based in Columbus.
Ohio
Remains of Ohio airmen killed in Iraq will be brought back March 29
Amanda-Clearcreek honors Ohio Air National Guard member Capt. Seth Koval
Amanda-Clearcreek honors Ohio Air National Guard member Capt. Seth Koval
The remains of three Ohio airmen who were killed in the crash of their KC-135 refueling plane in Iraq earlier this month will be returned this weekend, according to a family member of one of the deceased.
The airmen, identified as Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, of Wilmington, and Capt. Seth Koval, 38, of Stoutsville, will be brought back March 29 to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base near Columbus, said Charles Simmons, Tyler’s father.
“Tyler will have a hero’s welcome, because he is a hero,” said Charles.
The Columbus Division of Police will be involved in the funeral procession when the airmen’s remains are transferred from the airport to funeral homes, said Columbus police Sgt. James Fuqua. That will take place between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. March 29, said Fuqua.
The airmen’s remains first arrived back in the U.S. on March 18 with a dignified transfer taking place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Curtis, Angst, and Simmons were members of the 166th Air Refueling Squadron connected to the 121st Air Refueling Wing based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus.
The airmen, as well as three other servicemembers, died on March 12 when their KC-135 tanker crashed in western Iraq during a mission in support of Operation Epic Fury in Iran. The cause of the crash, which occurred in friendly airspace, has not been publicly identified. U.S. Central Command has said the incident did not involve hostile or friendly fire, and military experts have theorized the crash may have been the result of a collision with a second KC-135 that sustained heavy damage to its tail fin but landed safely at an airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@dispatch.com.
Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
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