CHICAGO – Roughly an hour after Ohio State won its third Big Ten tournament championship in four years, defeating Wisconsin, 50-43, the Buckeyes learned they are a No. 2 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament.
Viewing the Selection Show from a private room in the United Center in Chicago, the Buckeyes watched the unveiling of the NCAA Tournament bracket. The No. 1 seed in the West Region is Gonzaga out of the West Coast Conference. The No. 3 seed is New Mexico from the Mountain West Conference. Kansas State, Big 12 co-regular season champion, is the No. 4 seed.
“It feels good but seeding doesn’t mean a ton once you get there,” junior guard Aaron Craft said.
OSU will play No. 15 seed Iona Friday at 7:15 p.m. in Dayton. If the Buckeyes win, they will play the winner of the game between No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 10 seed Iowa State. Should the Buckeyes win that game, the Sweet 16 opponent – if the seeds hold – is New Mexico.
The West Region semifinals and final will be played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“Ohhh yeah, that’d be nice,” junior forward Deshaun Thomas said of the possibility of playing in the Staples Center.
Some of the other seeds in the region: No. 5 Wisconsin, who will face No. 12 Mississippi, and No. 6 Arizona, who will face No. 11 Belmont.
The other No. 1 seeds are Indiana (East Region), Louisville (Midwest Region) and Kansas (South Region).
Michigan State (No. 3 seed), Michigan (No. 4 seed), Illinois (No. 7 seed) and Minnesota (No. 11 seed) are the other Big Ten teams in the field.