Ohio State's NCAA Tournament chances just took it on the chin. The Buckeyes were already precariously on the bubble and it might have just popped in a 77-70 loss to Iowa in a Big Ten Tournament first-round game that continued a poor showing down the stretch of the season.

Iowa pulled away from Ohio State for a 77-70 victory in a Big Ten Tournament opener, a loss which could cost the Buckeyes an NCAA Tournament bid.

Ohio State's Bruce Thornton talks with reporters after a loss to Iowa in Big Ten Tournament on March 12, 2025.

Johnson, 44, coached the Gophers for four years with one trip to the NIT and one winning season. This year, Minnesota finished 15-17 overall and 7-13 in Big Ten play but won five games on the road. Johnson was 56-71 in four seasons and 22-57 in league competition. He was 1-4 in the Big Ten tournament.

Minnesota fired coach Ben Johnson on Thursday after four years of repeatedly rebuilding rosters at his alma mater without coming close to an NCAA Tournament appearance, a fleeting accomplishment for a program that has fallen behind in the rugged and expanded Big Ten.