In addition to watching Ohio State play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years, Buckeye fans will see a few other familiar faces in March Madness.
Four former Buckeyes who transferred out to Ohio State to continue their college basketball careers elsewhere will also be playing in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. As Bruce Thornton plays in his first NCAA Tournament, three other members of his 2022 recruiting class – Roddy Gayle Jr., Felix Okpara and Bowen Hardman – will also play in the Big Dance, as will fellow senior Evan Mahaffey, who transferred from Ohio State last offseason to join Hardman at Akron.