Believe it or not, it's Ohio State basketball season. The Ohio State Buckeyes begin their long march on Monday by taking on IU Indy, formerly known as IUPUI. The game will be televised on B1G+, a service that most fans probably don't have. Still, it's the start of another regular season.
Last year, the Buckeyes collapsed after they looked like they were in a position to finally end their NCAA Tournament drought. They decided not to play in the NIT or The Crown, ending their season. Jake Diebler started hearing it from fans, despite it just being his first full season as a head coach.
Diebler is facing a lot of pressure this season after remaking his roster using the Transfer Portal for the second year in a row. He tried that last year, and it ended in disaster. What should fans expect from the Ohio State basketball program this year?
Previewing the Ohio State basketball program for the 2025-26 season
Diebler still having Bruce Thornton on the team bodes well for Ohio State's chances to finally make the NCAA Tournament. He is the best player this team has, and is the best offensive force. This is his last chance to make the Big Dance, and he's going to try everything he can to make that happen.
A big thing in their favor is that their non-conference schedule is the lightest it's been in years. The only play one ranked foe in non-conference play, and that's 25th-ranked North Carolina at a neutral site. They need to accumulate wins early because the Big Ten is loaded this season.
Ohio State will face six different preseason top 25 teams, and they will play seven ranked games. With how hard the Big Ten schedule is, the Buckeyes are likely going to finish somewhere in the middle of the conference. An eighth or ninth-place finish seems likely for them.
That still might be good enough to make the NCAA Tournament. If they finish .500 or better in the conference, with some ranked wins along the way, Diebler can finally break this brutal postseason stretch.