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Buckeyes Knocking on the Door of the Top 25 in the Way-Too-Early Rankings
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- Buckeyes Knocking on the Door of the Top 25 in the Way-Too-Early Rankings
(© Matthew O'Haren | 2026 Mar 4)
The Ohio State Buckeyes have made all of the right moves this offseason when it comes to addressing their basketball program.
The Buckeyes needed a miracle to make the tournament and to save Jake Diebler's job in the 2025-26 season. They got that miracle and nearly turned it into a little tournament run.
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However, they were ousted by the TCU Horned Frogs in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but the foundation was laid, and Diebler was not going to let it go to waste.
Diebler went after this offseason really hard, and it is paying dividends already. In this way-too-early college basketball ranking, the Buckeyes clock in at No. 26 overall, up six spots from the last ranking.
He hit the transfer portal and made additions at every single level of the Buckeyes' attack. At the guard position, the Buckeyes brought in Curtis Givens III from Memphis and Jimmie Williams from Duquesne.
Then on the wing, the Buckeyes brought in Scottie Pippen's son, Justin Pippen, from the California Bears. Pippen is a versatile scorer with great length who can defend and is a major threat with the ball in his hands. He is a player who could make an immediate impact on the team.
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In the frontcourt, the Buckeyes added Andrija Jelavić, who had barely any production for the Kentucky Wildcats but stands at 6'11" and is more of a lottery ticket than a guy that they can count on, right now.
Diebler and the Buckeyes were not done there. They stayed committed to the high school recruiting trail, and their work paid off.
Buckeyes Football 8 Weeks Away | FB Fantasy Football | FPI Rankings | Dominating Recruiting Trail
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Ohio State is bringing in three recruits this year, two of whom are five-stars and one four-star.
The most recent recruit, LJ Smith, just reclassified so that he could get to college earlier and join this incredible class of recruits for the Buckeyes. He joins forward Anthony Smith, who comes from northeast Ohio and is a McDonald's All-American and a consensus top-10 recruit in the country.
The final addition is four star forward Alex Smith who comes from Fort Lauderdale.
That's seven new Buckeyes , along with John Mobley Jr., who returned, and several other of the Buckeyes who got a taste of success last year and are back for more.
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As a result, in this way-too-early ranking, the Buckeyes check in at No. 26, just outside the top 25, and if things go the way they are supposed to, Ohio State should climb the rankings quickly.
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