While most Ohio State Buckeyes news surrounds their football team, hoops fans were given a nugget of hope yesterday as there is a new report that the team may be looking at a home-and-home series with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The deal isn’t set in stone yet, but it is in the final steps of completion.
The Buckeyes are coming off a disappointing season, one in which they had a major top-25 win over Texas prior to struggling mightily in Big Ten competition and ultimately missing the NCAA Tournament. However, they will be getting back several key pieces, so there is good reason to believe this team should be able to bounce back and make the Field of 68 this upcoming season.
Regardless, the name recognition makes them a well-followed team. The Buckeyes seem to always be on the prowl for non-conference games, and they appear set to add a few against the Fighting Irish. College Hoops Today reporter and well-known analyst Jon Rothstein first reported the news on X.
NEWS: Notre Dame and Ohio State are finalizing an agreement to start a home-and-home series next season in Columbus, according to multiple sources.
Return game in South Bend in 2026-27.https://t.co/c7pLVWg6Nv
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 2, 2025
The Buckeyes finished 17-15 on the season and were among the first several teams out of the NCAA Tournament despite wins over Kentucky and Purdue, both of which were top-15 teams when Ohio State beat them.
Nonetheless, the Buckeyes must revamp, and considering Jeff Borzello has the Buckeyes as the No. 24 team in his way-too-early rankings for next season, there’s reason to believe this team will be relevant in the hoops landscape. Notre Dame did not crack the top 25 programs listed.
The return of Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. make this team dynamic, but it might be their froncourt, which will start Brandon Noel and Christoph Tilly, two transfer players from Wright State and Santa Clara, that takes them to the next level.
That said, let’s hope this team stays relevant and the Fighting Irish improve to make that home-and-home series a must-watch battle.
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