Scarlet and Game
Fansided

Ohio State Basketball: What would have happened in NCAA Tournament

By Peter Burtnett

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The basket and the arena sit unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The NCAA tournament has also been cancelled. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The basket and the arena sit unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The NCAA tournament has also been cancelled. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 21: Head coach Chris Holtmann of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on as his team takes on the Kentucky Wildcats during the CBS Sports Classic at T-Mobile Arena on December 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Buckeyes defeated the Wildcats 71-65. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 21: Head coach Chris Holtmann of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on as his team takes on the Kentucky Wildcats during the CBS Sports Classic at T-Mobile Arena on December 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Buckeyes defeated the Wildcats 71-65. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA Basketball Tournament will not be played for the first time ever. What if the Round of 64 had started today?

Sorry to remind you college basketball fans, but the 2020 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament would have started its most exciting stage (the Round of 64 on Thursday and Friday; 32 games played in two days). Let’s pretend for a second that March Madness had gone ahead and start by introducing my field of 68.

The teams are ranked overall – seeds based mainly on Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology, 1-4 = No. 1 seed, 5-8 = No. 2, etc – and the automatic bids are based on the regular season standings if no conference tournament was finished or started before March 12, and the No. 61-68 – 61-64, 41-42 are No. 11 seeds – teams would have played in the First Four at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio

The Field

  • 68. NC Central (17-13; MEAC regular season champions)
  • 67. Robert Morris (20-14; NEC Tournament champions)
  • 66. Prairie View A&M (19-13; SWAC regular season champions)
  • 65. Siena (20-10; MAAC regular season champions)
  • 64. Texas (19-12; at-large bid)
  • 63. UCLA (19-12; at-large)
  • 62. Richmond (24-7; at-large)
  • 61. NC State (20-12; at-large)
  • 60. Boston (21-13; Patriot League Tournament champions)
  • 59. UC Irvine (21-11; Big West regular season champions)
  • 58. Bradley (23-11; Missouri Valley Tournament champions)
  • 57. Winthrop (24-10; Big South Tournament champions)
  • 56. Northern Kentucky (23-9; Horizon League Tournament champions)
  • 55. Little Rock (21-11; Sun Belt regular season champions)
  • 54. Eastern Washington (23-8; Big Sky regular season champions)
  • 53. Hofstra (26-8; Colonial Tournament champions)
  • 52. Belmont (26-7; OVC Tournament champions)
  • 51. North Texas (20-11; C-USA regular season champions)
  • 50. North Dakota State (25-8; Summit League Tournament champions)
  • 49. Vermont (26-7; America East regular season champions)
  • 48. Akron (24-7; MAC regular season champions)
  • 47. Yale (23-7; Ivy League regular season champions)
  • 46. New Mexico State (25-6; WAC regular season champions)
  • 45. Cincinnati (20-10; American regular season champions – won tiebreaker over Houston and Tulsa)
  • 44. Liberty 30-4; Atlantic Sun Tournament champions)
  • 43. East Tennessee State (30-4; Southern Tournament champions)
  • 42. Stephen F. Austin (28-3; Southland Tournament champions)
  • 41. Indiana (20-12; at-large)
  • 40. Texas Tech (18-13; at-large)
  • 39. Arizona State (20-11; at-large)
  • 38. USC (22-9; at-large)
  • 37. Oklahoma (19-12; at-large)
  • 36. Florida (19-12; at-large)
  • 35. Rutgers (20-11; at-large)
  • 34. Utah State (26-8; at-large)
  • 33. Marquette (18-12; at-large)
  • 32. Saint Mary’s (26-8; at-large)
  • 31. Providence (19-12; at-large)
  • 30. Colorado (21-11; at-large)
  • 29. LSU (21-10; at-large)
  • 28. West Virginia (21-10; at-large)
  • 27. Arizona (21-11; at-large)
  • 26. Michigan (19-12; at-large)
  • 25. Houston (23-8; at-large)
  • 24. Iowa (20-11; at-large)
  • 23. Penn State (21-10; at-large)
  • 22. Butler (22-9; at-large)
  • 21. Illinois (21-10; at-large)
  • 20. BYU (24-8; at-large)
  • 19. Ohio State (21-10; at-large)
  • 18. Seton Hall (21-9; at-large)
  • 17. Louisville (24-7; at-large)
  • 16. Wisconsin (21-10; Big Ten regular season champions – won tiebreaker over Maryland and Michigan State)
  • 15. Auburn (25-6; at-large)
  • 14. Virginia (23-7; at-large)
  • 13. Maryland (24-7; at-large)
  • 12. Oregon (24-7; Pac-12 regular season champions)
  • 11. Villanova (24-7; at-large)
  • 10. Michigan State (22-9; at-large)
  • 9. Duke (25-6; at-large)
  • 8. Creighton (24-7; Big East regular season champion – won tiebreaker over Villanova and Seton Hall)
  • 7. Kentucky (25-6; SEC regular season champions)
  • 6. San Diego State (30-2; at-large)
  • 5. Florida State (26-5; ACC regular season champions)
  • 4. Baylor (26-4; at-large)
  • 3. Dayton (29-2; Atlantic 10 regular season champions)
  • 2. Gonzaga (31-2; WCC Tournament champions)
  • 1. Kansas (28-3; Big 12 regular season champions)

Now on to the Round of 64 (and First Four) match-ups and predictions.

Home/Ohio State Basketball