It has been a dozen years since a team from the Buckeye State last reached the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s Final Four. In 2012, head coach Thad Matta led Ohio State to the national semifinal before falling to Kansas, 64-62.
This year, Cincinnati has the best odds of making a Final Four run of any men’s college basketball team in Ohio. The Bearcats have +2300 odds on FanDuel Ohio Sportsbook after a 10-3 start under head coach Wes Miller.
To get a sense of how the various college basketball teams of the Buckeye State have fared over the last decade in the Big Dance, BetOhio.com broke down the numbers to see which program has seen the most success since 2014.
How Ohio’s College Hoops Teams Have Fared Since 2014
School | NCAAT Appearances | Best Finish |
Xavier | 6 | Elite Eight (2017) |
Ohio State | 6 | Round of 32 (4x) |
Cincinnati | 6 | Round of 32 (3x) |
Dayton | 5 | Elite Eight (2014) |
Akron | 2 | First round (twice) |
Kent State | 2 | First round (twice) |
Wright State | 2 | First round (twice) |
Ohio | 1 | Second round (2021) |
Cleveland State | 1 | First round (2021) |
Bowling Green | 0 | ----- |
Miami | 0 | ----- |
Toledo | 0 | ----- |
Youngstown State | 0 | ----- |
The chance of an Ohio team making a deep run in the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament are unpredictable, which makes the event an exciting one for Ohio sports betting and all hoops fans.
Since 2014, the closest a team from Ohio has come to cutting down the nets was with Xavier in 2017 and Dayton in 2014 (we’re counting the past 10 NCAA Tournaments; the tourney was canceled in 2020). Both fell one step short, reaching the Elite Eight before being eliminated.
Which Ohio MBB Team Has Seen The Most Success?
The Musketeers have had the most success among state teams over the past decade, since Xavier joined the Big East in the 2013-14 season. That 2017 Region Final appearance was the second for XU, along with their 2008 run. The Musketeers also made the Sweet 16 in 2015 and 2023.
This year, operators offering Ohio sportsbook promo codes have Xavier as a longshot for success; the team is off to a 9-6 start and stands 1-3 in the Big East as of Jan. 7.
Xavier’s city rival, Cincinnati, also has made six trips to The Big Dance since 2014, as has Ohio State. But the Buckeyes have not made it to the second weekend of the Big Dance since 2013’s run to the Elite Eight. And the Bearcats made nine straight NCAA Tournaments from 2011-19 but they have not qualified since.
If the Bearcats reach the Final Four, it’d mark the first time since 2012 that Cincy made it past the second round of the tournament. Mick Cronin led that year’s Bearcats squad to the Sweet 16 before ultimately falling to the Buckeyes, 81-66.
The Dayton Flyers have been an Ohio success story. Their last trip to the Sweet 16 (and Elite Eight) was in 2014, but they had Round of 32 berths in 2015 and 2024. The oddsmakers at bet365 Ohio Sportsbook have Dayton as the favorite to win the Atlantic 10 this season with +190 odds.
The only other team in Ohio that has won a game in the Big Dance over the last 10 years is the Ohio Bobcats of the MAC. They reached the second round of the Dance in 2021 with a Sweet 16 run as recently as 2012.
USA Today photo by Albert Cesare/The Enquirer
