Brock Harding scored 15 points that included a clutch 3-pointer to help 15th-seeded Iowa pull away from No. 10 seed Ohio State for a 77-70 victory on Wednesday night in a Big Ten Tournament opener. Bruce Thornton converted a three-point play and then added a pullup jumper following a Harding turnover to cut the Ohio State deficit to 72-70 with 45 seconds left.

Heading into Wednesday’s game, Ohio State’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament were up in the air. A win against Iowa would’ve all but secured the Buckeyes’ spot in the big dance. But Ohio State couldn’t execute down the stretch and now its tournament hopes are in extreme jeopardy.

For Iowa’s men’s basketball, the city known as “The Crossroads of America” appears to be its path of destiny. Three years removed from winning the Big Ten Tournament title in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Hawkeyes,