The 2025 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament opens Wednesday, March 12, at 2:30 p.m. Central Time. The Hawkeyes snuck into the field after beating Nebraska at home in the final game of the regular season. The 15-seed Hawkeyes will take on 10-seed Ohio State Buckeyes in game two around 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
Off to Indy. 🛫#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/VLJMPm1rID
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 11, 2025
It is all smiles for the Hawkeyes as they board the plane to Indianapolis. Iowa aims to carry momentum from the Nebraska win into the first round.
Ohio State scouting report
The Ohio State Buckeyes (17-14, 9-11 in conference) are 4-6 in their last ten games, beating Indiana in their previous game. The Buckeyes are solid on both ends of the floor, giving up an average of 73 points per game and scoring 79 points per game.
Four players for Ohio State average in double figures, contributing to their balanced attack. Bruce Thorton leads the Buckeyes in scoring with 17.5 points per game, followed by Devin Royal (13.6), Micah Parrish (13.2), and John Mobley Jr. (13.2).
Ohio State is also stout defensively. They hold their opponents to 30 percent shooting from three-point range, ranking second in the Big Ten and 14th nationally.
Iowa's keys to victory
Iowa lost 85-62 in the first matchup against the Buckeyes on January 27 in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes used a second-half offensive explosion and staunch defense to overwhelm the Hawkeyes. Ohio State scored 5s points in the second half on 57 percent shooting.
The Hawkeyes must rite those wrongs in their second matchup against the Buckeyes to advance.
No. 1: Slow down Bruce Thorton
Thorton is the unquestioned leader of the Buckeyes, averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He leads the team in all those categories.
Iowa cannot afford to have Bruce Thorton go off in this game. He dropped 15 points and 8 rebounds in the previous matchup as the Buckeyes dominated the Hawkeyes.
Iowa must mix up their defenses and throw different defenders at Thorton to slow him down. If he gets going, Ohio State will be hard to stop.
No. 2: Take efficient shots
Iowa is a prime example of a team that lives and dies by the three. The Hawkeyes are hard to stop when the shots are falling. They get blown out when they are pressured and cannot move the ball.
Iowa leads the Big Ten in assists per game (18.3) and assists to turnover ratio (1.85). The Hawkeyes have nine games of 20-plus assists as well. Iowa must move the ball and take efficient shots in order to have a chance in this game.
Iowa cannot solely rely on the three-point basket because the Buckeyes hold opponents under 35 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Hawkeyes must move the ball effectively, and take and make open looks.
No. 3: Put together a complete game on the defensive end
The Hawkeyes have a bad habit of collapsing in the second half of games. Iowa allowed 52 points to Ohio State in the second half of their previous meeting. Iowa has been outscored in the second half by 21 points in their prior two losses.
The Hawkeyes must replicate their performance against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the regular season finale. Iowa held the Cornhuskers to 29 percent shooting from the floor and 23 percent from three-point range.
This was a rare second-half defensive performance by the Hawkeyes, and they need to replicate that success if they wat to slow down Ohio State's potent attack.
How to watch Iowa versus Ohio State
15-seed Iowa will battle 10-seed Ohio State in game two of Round One of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament. The game will tip off around 5:00 p.m. Central Time, and is streaming on Peacock.