Roddy Gayle, two other former Ohio State players to make first March Madness appearances

Ohio State isn’t playing in the NCAA Tournament. A resume dotted with some high-level wins could not outweigh a few too many losses, and at 17-15 the Buckeyes declined an invitation to play in the inaugural College Basketball Crown.

The offseason has arrived for the Buckeyes, but that doesn’t mean Ohio State won’t see some familiar faces playing in March Madness. As coach Jake Diebler works to retool the roster and prepare for the March 24 opening of the transfer portal, several former Buckeyes will be making their first-ever appearances in the NCAA Tournament. All three of them are juniors who came to Ohio State together, played two seasons and then moved on.

Here’s an alphabetical list of guys who have suited up for Ohio State who will now be participating in March Madness.

Roddy Gayle Jr., Michigan

One of the most polarizing moves in the transfer portal last year, Gayle left the Buckeyes for rival Michigan and the chance to play for first-year coach Dusty May. Individually, it has meant a less prolific season for the junior guard, but Gayle helped the Wolverines win the Big Ten Tournament title and earn a No. 5 seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament.

In 33 games including 25 starts, Gayle has averaged 9.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 42.9% from the floor and only 19.7% from 3 and playing 26.2 minutes per game. As a sophomore at Ohio State, Gayle started 35 of the team’s 36 games and averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 44.9% from the floor, 28.4% from 3 and playing 30.9 minutes per game.

The 25-9 Wolverines will play No. 12 seed UC San Diego in Denver on Thursday at 10 p.m. Eastern. The game will be televised by TBS.

Feb 16, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) shoots the ball over Ohio State Buckeyes guard John Mobley Jr. (0) during the first half at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Bowen Hardman, Akron

A dangerous shooter who grew up in Cincinnati, Hardman spent two years with the Buckeyes and saw minimal playing time before transferring to the Zips to play for coach John Groce. He’s slotted into a rotation role for Akron and helped the Zips go 28-6 and win the Mid-American Conference Tournament with a 76-74 win against Miami (Ohio) on Saturday in Cleveland.

After playing 94 total minutes in two years with the Buckeyes, Hardman has logged 526 minutes so far this year. He’s averaged 6.7 points while attempting an average of 4.8 3-pointers per game. He has gone 56 for 144 (38.9%) from deep, the third-highest percentage on the Akron roster, and he scored 17 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep in Akron’s 96-67 win against Bowling Green in his team’s first game in the league tournament.

Akronâ€™s Bowen Hardman puts up a 3-pointer as Bowling Greenâ€™s Jamal Felt defends in a Mid-American Conference quarterfinal March 13, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.

As a No. 13 seed in the East, the Zips will face No. 4 seed Arizona on Friday at 7:35 p.m. Eastern in a game televised on TruTV. Akron is 28-6 and has gone 21-1 since the calendar flipped to 2025.

Felix Okpara, Tennessee

Like Gayle, Okpara had established himself as a high-volume member of Ohio State’s rotation while starting in 35 of 36 games and averaging 23.5 minutes per game. After averaging 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds and shooting 58.6% from the floor, the 6-11, 220-pound center entered the transfer portal once the Buckeyes signed 7-1, 225-pound transfer center Aaron Bradshaw from Kentucky.

Under coach Rick Barnes, Okpara has improved on what he showed as a sophomore. Okpara has started all 34 games for the Vols and averaged 7.3 points and 6.2 rebounds in 25.6 minutes per game. His blocked shots average has dipped from 2.4 to 1.7 compared to last year, but he’s also cut down on his fouling from 2.9 per game at Ohio State to 2.5 this year.

Mar 16, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Florida Gators forward Alex Condon (21) shoots the ball on Tennessee Volunteers forward Felix Okpara (34) during the first half at the 2025 SEC Championship Game at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Tennessee is 27-7 overall and earned the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region. The Vols will open the tournament against No. 15 seed Wofford in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday at 6:50 p.m. in a game televised by TNT.

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