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Iowa-Ohio State Big Ten men’s basketball tourney glance: Time/streaming, etc. (March 12, 2025)
Hawkeyes try to extend their season another day by avenging January loss to Buckeyes
Mar. 11, 2025 10:06 pm
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What: No. 15-seed Iowa (16-15) vs. No. 10-seed Ohio State (17-14) in a Big Ten men’s basketball first-round game.
When/where: Wednesday, 5 p.m., Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Livestream: Peacock (Paul Burmeister, Robbie Hummel)
Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network affiliates
Series: Ohio State leads, 86-85
Line: Ohio State by 5
What to know: Iowa went to Nebraska Sunday needing a win to get into the Big Ten tourney and got it, 83-68. Three days later, the Hawkeyes need to win in that tourney’s opening round to advance to a second-round game Thursday against No. 24 Illinois.
As of Monday, FanDuel had Iowa a 250-1 shot to win the tournament.
Ohio State was 9-11 in the Big Ten, Iowa 7-13. The Hawkeyes lost 82-65 at Ohio State on Jan. 27. The Buckeyes led 30-26 at halftime.
Ohio State is the “last team in” the NCAA tourney projections of ESPN.com’s Joe Lunardi as of Tuesday morning.
The Buckeyes are led by junior guard Bruce Thornton, the team-leader in scoring (17.5 ppg), assists (4.5 per game) and steals. Ohio State’s Devin Royal, Micah Parrish and John Mobley average between 13.2 and 13.6 points.
Ohio State has lost four of its last six games. Iowa has lost five of its last seven.
No. 10-seeds are 15-26 in the tournament. Iowa is the first team to be a No. 15-seed. Ohio State has the all-time best winning percentage in this event, .642 (34-19). Iowa is 22-23.
Hawkeyes hold records for points in a Big Ten tourney (Keegan Murray, 103 in 2022), 3-pointers in a game (Murray with 8, in 2022), and rebounds in a tourney (Reggie Evans with 51 in 2001).
It’s the third-straight year the teams have met in this tourney. Ohio State won 73-69 in a 2023 second-round game, and 90-78 in a second-round game last year. The Buckeyes are 5-2 against the Hawkeyes in this event.
The last game Iowa played in Indianapolis was its Big Ten tourney championship game win over Purdue in 2022.
“That was a special team in terms of versatility, intellect and toughness, a special group to be a part of,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said about the ‘22 Hawkeyes.
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