The stakes don’t get much higher.
It’s win or go home for No. 7 seed Ohio State and No. 10 seed Loyola, who both put it all on the line Friday in Pittsburgh during a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup at 12:15 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena. The two teams have been trending in opposite directions as of late, with Ohio State losing four of its last five and the Ramblers winning five of its last six. But the Buckeyes remain the seed-line favorite with a chance to silence their critics after a rough stretch that has included injuries to multiple key players.