Ohio State (17-11) (NET: 35)
1-10 (Q1), 6-1 (Q2), 4-0 (Q3), 6-0 (Q4)
Based on recent events, Jake Diebler really needs a trip to the Big Dance and a significant rebound for this program. Ohio State simply hasn’t been a top tier program in the Big Ten in recent memory. They’ve shown signs of life this season but have been stuck in something of a rut for the most part, almost regularly alternating wins and losses since a 6-0 start.
The good here is that Ohio State has avoided the bad loss, with that lone Quad 2 defeat coming on a last-second shot at Pittsburgh way back in November. They’ve picked up a ton of Quad 2 wins during Big Ten play, most notably knocking off Wisconsin by 17 points just last week along with a few nice road wins. Their early win at Northwestern only just recently became Quad 1.
What really hurts the Buckeyes here is that 1-10 record in Quad 1 games. They’ve had numerous chances in Big Ten play and just haven’t been able to take advantage. Ohio State has close losses to North Carolina, Nebraska, and Michigan State but close losses do not build a resume.
If this team can add a little meat to this resume, then they will almost guarantee themselves a spot in the Big Dance, especially with a 9-8 mark in a strong Big Ten. Their last big chance is at home against Purdue on Sunday, though winning over Indiana in the season finale would also help matters.
Saint Louis (24-3) (NET: 24)
2-1 (Q1), 4-2 (Q2), 8-0 (Q3), 10-0 (Q4)
Simply put, Saint Louis is having an extraordinary season under Josh Schertz. They’ve far and away been the best team in the A-10 and might be the non-Gonzaga mid-major whose at-large bid is safest here in February. However, some recent defeats have made that a bit less of a certainty and it’s still worth checking in on the Billikens.
Not a lot of great chances came the Billikens’ way, though they took advantage with nice wins over Santa Clara and at VCU. While not many nonconference games provided resume-building, they have looked great against A-10 rivals, with Quad 2 wins over Dayton, Duquesne, and others in recent weeks.
What’s troubling here is a recent trend as Saint Louis has suddenly lost two of their last three games after building an 18-game winning streak. Falling at Rhode Island wasn’t the best and this week’s loss to Dayton is still Quad 1, but losing by 15 points is still reason for concern moving forward.
Home rematches with Duquesne and Loyola Chicago give the Billikens a chance to get back on track before the postseason, though they can almost certainly clinch their trip to the NCAA Tournament with a Quad 2 win at George Mason to conclude the regular season just over a week from now.