Ohio State Earns No. 7 Seed In NCAA Tournament, To Play Loyola Chicago On Friday

The Buckeyes are playing in the Big Dance for the 35th time in program history, including vacated seasons.

After losing four of its final seven games in the regular season and being bounced in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, Ohio State has earned a No. 7 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

🕺 We're Dancing!!

We take on Loyola Chicago in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a 7 seed in Pittsburgh, PA.#Team123 #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/2Hm9vSHm91

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 13, 2022

The Buckeyes, who enter the tournament at 19-11 overall and 12-8 in conference play, will take on No. 10 seed Loyola Chicago in the South Region. The game will be played in Pittsburgh at 12:15 p.m. on Friday.

The Ramblers, who won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament with a 25-7 overall record, are most known for their run to the 2018 Final Four, as well as last year’s Sweet 16 appearance. They also gained popularity because of their team chaplain, 102-year-old Sister Jean.

Ohio State and Loyola Chicago have played four times, with the Buckeyes winning all four games, including matchups in the 1955-56, 1960-61, 1961-62 and 2006-07 seasons. None of them were tournament games, however.

This marks the 35th NCAA Tournament appearance for the Buckeyes, who will look to avoid the same fate as last year, when they failed to advance past the opening round with a loss to No. 15 seed Oral Roberts as a No. 2 seed.

It’s also the fourth tournament appearance for head coach Chris Holtmann, though Ohio State has not advanced past the first weekend in any of those seasons. If the Buckeyes beat the Ramblers, they’ll face the winner of No. 2 seed Villanova and No. 15 seed Delaware on Sunday.

Let’s Dance 😁 pic.twitter.com/u399cbp9Hk

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 13, 2022

Ohio State is one of a nation-leading nine Big Ten teams in the bracket, including regular season champions Illinois and Wisconsin, tournament champion Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Rutgers. The Hoosiers and Scarlet Knights will notably play First Four games in Dayton to kick off the tournament. 

That said, every first-round matchup can be found below:

East Region

No. 1 Baylor vs No. 16 Norfolk State

No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Marquette

No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 Indiana or Wyoming

No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 13 Akron

No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech

No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 14 Yale

No. 7 Murray State vs. No. 10 San Francisco

No. 2 Kentucky vs.

South Region

No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 Bryant or Wright State

No. 8 Seton Hall vs. No. 9 TCU 

No. 5 Houston vs. No. 12 UAB

No. 4 Illinois vs. No. 13 Chattanooga

No. 6 Colorado State vs. No. 11 Michigan

No. 3 Tennessee vs. No. 14 Longwood

No. 7 Ohio State vs No. 10 Loyola Chicago

No. 2 Villanova vs. No. 15 Delaware

Midwest Region

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Texas Southern

No. 8 San Diego State vs. No. 9 Creighton

No. 5 Iowa vs. No. 12 Richmond

No. 4 Providence vs. No. 13 South Dakota State

No. 6 LSU vs. No. 11 Iowa State

No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Colgate

No. 7 USC vs No. 10 Miami (Fla.)

No. 2 Auburn vs No. 15 Jacksonville State

West Region

No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 16 Georgia State

No. 8 Boise State vs. No. 9 Memphis

No. 5 UConn vs. No. 12 New Mexico State

No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Vermont

No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Notre Dame or Rutgers

No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 14 Montana State

No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Davidson

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Cal State Fullerton 

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