Ohio State's miracle run from fired head coach to NCAA Tournament bubble contender came to a heartbreaking end on Friday.
Despite leading for much of the second half, up 10 points at one point, the 10th-seeded Buckeyes (20-13, 10-12 Big Ten) couldn't hang on at the end of the ballgame and fell to second-seeded Illinois (24-8, 15-6), the No. 13 team in the country, 77-74.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| #10 Ohio State | 29 | 45 | 74 |
| #2 Illinois | 31 | 46 | 77 |
Ohio State, a fringe bubble team entering Friday, likely saw its NCAA Tournament hopes dashed with the loss.