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Buckeyetology: Ohio State Entrenched on NCAA Tournament Bubble As Season Heats Up

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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.

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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.

Key Numbers: Ohio State
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.

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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.

Big Ten Standings
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.

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Warren man sentenced for Niles police chase

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Warren man sentenced for Niles police chase


WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — A Warren man who led police on a chase received his sentence on Wednesday.

Michael Greene, 32, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to make restitution.

Greene pleaded guilty in February to failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and failure to stop after an accident.

Greene was charged following a November 2025 police chase in Niles.

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Prosecutors say that the chase involved speeds of about 103 miles per hour.

It was discovered that the car Greene was driving was reported stolen by a family member.

Patty Coller contributed to this report.



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A unique project asks Ohioans to map Revolutionary War graves

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A unique project asks Ohioans to map Revolutionary War graves


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Ohioans have until May 25 to help document the final resting places of Revolutionary War veterans buried across the state.

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The effort is part of the Revolutionary War Veterans Graves Identification Project, a first-of-its-kind initiative led by America 250-Ohio, the commission organizing the state’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The project aims to create a publicly accessible database of veterans’ graves, complete with photographs, inscriptions and GPS coordinates, according to a community announcement.

The public can submit information through the Grave Marker and Cemetery Collection Portal until May 25. Submissions will be reviewed and finalized before the database is released July 4, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Thousands of graves documented by volunteers

Launched on Memorial Day 2025, the project has mobilized about 350 volunteers who have documented more than 4,000 grave markers across Ohio. The database is expected to include information on up to 7,000 veterans believed to be buried in the state.

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Clusters of graves have been found in areas such as Clermont County and regions corresponding to the original Virginia Military and United States Military Districts. The first documented entry was the grave of Nathaniel Massie, a Virginia Militia private who founded the city of Chillicothe.

A window into Ohio’s early history

Ohio is home to a large number of Revolutionary War veterans’ graves, despite not being one of the original 13 colonies. After the war, portions of Ohio’s land were granted to veterans as payment for their service, drawing many to settle and build communities in the region.

Previously, records from organizations like the Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution identified about 6,800 veterans buried in Ohio, but lacked precise locations and current photographs.

How to participate before the deadline

Anyone with a smartphone can contribute to the project. No historical expertise is required. Here’s how to participate:

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  • Visit ohiohistory.org/revwargraves to review instructions and explore the map of cemeteries already identified as likely grave sites.
  • Download the free Survey123 app on your smartphone.
  • Visit a cemetery, photograph the grave marker, record inscriptions, and log GPS coordinates.
  • Submit your entry through the portal before May 25.

Volunteers who do not wish to remain anonymous will be acknowledged by name for their contributions. The completed database will remain publicly accessible beyond the America 250 celebration and will be maintained by the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office and the Ohio History Connection.

A lasting legacy for future generations

The project is led by the Ohio History Connection and its State Historic Preservation Office, with support from Terracon Consultants, Inc. Submissions appear on a live, publicly viewable dashboard at ohpo.maps.arcgis.com.

“These are the very first veterans of the United States of America,” Krista Horrocks, historian, cemetery preservationist, and project manager with the Ohio History Connection said in the announcement. “Documentation is the part that will outlive all of us. Gravestones won’t survive forever, but if we can record their location and story today, that information will be here for generations to come.”

To learn more, view the live dashboard, or submit information on a grave site, visit ohiohistory.org/revwargraves.

This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.



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Ohio governor announces new Medicaid fraud prevention initiatives

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Ohio governor announces new Medicaid fraud prevention initiatives


COLUMBUS — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that he is implementing several new fraud prevention initiatives to strengthen and build-upon long-standing efforts to fight fraud, waste, and abuse in the Ohio Medicaid system.

“Ohio has long been a national leader in fighting Medicaid fraud. Ohio has one of the best Medicaid Fraud Control units in the country, and, in 2018, Ohio became the first state to implement Electronic Visit Verification in home health care,” DeWine said.

“Today, we are ready to begin several new initiatives long in development that will enhance this nation-leading work and further protect taxpayer funds from those trying to defraud the State.

“I thank the Trump Administration for their partnership and collaboration that is allowing us to proceed with these reforms much faster than previously possible.”

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New initiatives

DeWine said he is directing the Ohio Department of Medicaid to implement the following:

  • Statewide New Provider Moratorium. The Ohio Department of Medicaid will today ask the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) so Ohio may implement a six-month moratorium on new home-healthcare and hospice businesses being able to become Medicaid providers. This will allow Ohio Medicaid to stop enrollment of new providers and assess existing providers to help remove those at high risk for having committed fraud.
  • Immediate Payment Suspension to High-Risk Providers. Ohio Medicaid will today begin a policy of immediately removing and suspending payment to providers whose billing practices show “red flags” that indicate a high probability of fraud. Ohio Medicaid already has a robust payment suspension protocol that is currently used to stop payments to questionable providers. In January, Ohio Medicaid began the process of implementing new data analytics tools to help identify billing data anomalies that could better identify fraud. To date, this process has identified 87 providers who will be subject to further review and potential payment suspension.
  • Executive Order for Emergency Rules. The Governor will be issuing an Executive Order that will allow the Ohio Department of Medicaid to implement emergency rules to require more frequent revalidation of providers being identified as higher-risk for committing fraud. Governor DeWine sent a letter to CMS on May 1 committing Ohio to partnering with the Trump Administration and using a more stringent revalidation process to better prevent fraud.
  • Mandatory GPS Requirement for Electronic Visit Verification. Ohio Medicaid will file rules to require GPS for all providers using Electronic Visit Verification (EVV). Since March 2025, Ohio Medicaid has begun phasing in EVV as a mandatory requirement for home healthcare provider payment. In December, DeWine authorized Ohio Medicaid to begin the information technology investments needed to make GPS mandatory for EVV. Ohio Medicaid now ready to make this rule change to implement the requirement. Ohio Medicaid has worked collaboratively with Ohio Auditor Keith Faber on identifying solutions to issues identified in the Auditor’s audits of Ohio Medicaid, and this new rule will implement a key recommendation of the audits.
  • Mandatory EVV for Live-In Caregivers. Ohio Medicaid will begin the rulemaking process to require live-in caregivers to use EVV during home healthcare and as a requirement for payment. Currently, family and live-in caregivers are exempt from this requirement.

Ohio’s work in prosecuting Medicaid fraud

Ohio has been a national leader in catching and prosecuting Medicaid fraud thanks to a strong partnership between Ohio Medicaid and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and its Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the governor said. 

Since the beginning of 2023, Ohio has secured 444 Medicaid fraud indictments, 481 convictions, and 146 civil settlements and judgments resulting in $78.4 million in  recovered taxpayer fund.

Under Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the unit received a U.S. Office of the Inspector General’s Award for Excellence in Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in 2022, and it ranked #1 in the nation for number of convictions secured in 2015 under then-Attorney General Mike DeWine.

Utilizing home healthcare to protect taxpayer dollars

Home and community-based care programs have been a core component of Medicaid services for decades since they were initiated under Ronald Reagan’s Administration.

Ohio is one of 47 states and the District of Columbia that provides such care under a waiver granted by CMS.  

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Ohio’s home and community-based care programs are grounded in data showing that legitimate in-home care is typically safer for individuals and significantly more affordable for taxpayers.

In 2024, Ohio saved more than $600 million in taxpayer funds that would have been expended had patients receiving home healthcare been diverted to skilled nursing or other residential care services, saving several billion dollars over the course of the DeWine Administration.

On average, home health care costs half as much as placement in a nursing facility. 

Ensuring access to appropriate home-based care is both a responsible use of public resources and a critical part of meeting the needs of our most vulnerable Ohioans who otherwise would require placement in higher-cost nursing facilities.

Additional efforts to fight fraud, waste & abuse

Providing care in a home setting requires a robust set of controls to detect and prevent fraud.

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Ohio Medicaid has been proactively evaluating all program integrity initiatives to ensure taxpayer dollars are well spent and that quality care is being provided.

The governor’s office said the department has been engaged in a thorough review of programs and policies to evaluate any risks to the integrity of the program, identify potential gaps that could be exploited, and explore opportunities to leverage new and emerging AI and data analytic tools to stay one step ahead of anyone looking to exploit the system.

As part of that work, since the start of 2026, the Department has initiated new prior authorization requirements for high-risk services to ensure medical necessity. 

Ohio Medicaid launched efforts to build new data analytic capabilities to identify unique outliers in billing patterns, better assess vulnerable business ownership structures, and improve coordination of fraud fighting efforts.

These efforts are designed to improve the early detection of potential fraud and identify future areas of inherent program risk.

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To confirm that billed services are actually rendered, Ohio Medicaid relies on an extensive set of safeguards, including:

  • Comprehensive provider screening and continuous compliance monitoring.
  • Mandatory electronic visit verification capturing date, time, and service location.
  • Advanced analytics that flag unusual billing patterns or service trends.
  • Routine and targeted audits performed by program integrity staff.
  • Coordination with state and federal partners when concerns arise.





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