Ohio State Heartbroken In Unimaginable NCAA Tournament Opener

The 2026 NCAA Tournament got off to a ferocious start Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina, which saw the Ohio State Buckeyes rally from a 15-point halftime deficit but fell short in the game's final seconds with a layup from the TCU Horned Frogs' Xavier Edmonds, 66-64.

A Bruce Thornton game-tying 3-pointer with under a minute to go in regulation, his first field goal of the second half, set the stage for Edmonds' herorics to end the Buckeyes season in heartbreaking fashion.

The game was largely defined by runs, with the Buckeyes clinging to a late lead thanks to an emphatic Amare Bynum dunk to extend the Ohio State lead to four, 57-53. It looked as if coach Jake Diebler's team had turned a corner, but it wasn't enough to contain a prolific Horned Frogs offensive attack in the No. 8 vs. No. 9 matchup.

The Buckeyes will have much to reflect on in the off-season, as Thornton failed to end his career on a high note after making school history and helping lead his team to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals before losing to Michigan this past Friday, 71-67, in Chicago.

As for the Horned Frogs, their advancement to the second round will see them face the Duke-Sienna winner Saturday (time and network to be determined), moving one step closer to the Sweet Sixteen and winning multiple tournament games for the first time in program history.

The Buckeyes ended the season 21-13, rallying in the regular season's final month to become tournament eligible.