Indiana’s women’s basketball team has never been considered out of the NCAA Tournament this season by bracketologists. But after losing at Minnesota and Michigan last week – teams that were directly around the Hoosiers both in the Big Ten standings and in the NCAA NET rankings – it was getting a little bit hairy for Indiana’s hopes.

The Hoosiers were dropping dangerously close to being a play-in team for the tournament, which means being one of the last four teams in the field. It was a sobering prospect considering that entering this week, Indiana still had games against Ohio State, Michigan State and Maryland, all of whom rest inside the NCAA NET Top 30.

All three of those opponents provided an opportunity to bolster the resume – or sink Indiana’s chances.

The highest-ranked of those teams – Ohio State – came calling to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 8 in the polls and in the top 20 in NET ranking.

The Hoosiers made the most of the opportunity. Indiana dominated nearly from start to finish, breaking Ohio State’s press without much hassle and converting 52.9% of their shots. The Hoosiers earned a 71-61 triumph.

As it happens, Friday is the day that ESPN updates their women’s bracketology. The positive effect of the victory over Ohio State on the Hoosiers was immediate.

Bracketologist Charlie Creme moved the Hoosiers off the last eight in teams in the field as Indiana was given a No. 9 seed. In Creme's prediction, he has the Hoosiers playing No. 8 seed Creighton as the Austin Regional hosted by No. 1 seed Texas.

Earlier in the week, Creme had the Hoosiers as a No. 10 seed playing in the Storrs Regional hosted by Connecticut.

The win Indiana moved up to No. 36 in the NET rankings. They moved past fellow Big Ten teams Oregon and Nebraska in the process.

Indiana is 7-8 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games. The Hoosiers have three Quad 1 wins and that’s important because its sets them apart from other teams around them in the NET.

Seven teams ranked 30-40 in the NET have two or fewer Quad 1 wins. Indiana is one of four teams with three wins in that range, so that’s an advantage.

The win over the Buckeyes allows the Hoosiers to face both Michigan State and Maryland from a position of greater strength, but the mission isn’t complete.

Indiana has not won a Quad 1 game away this season, so the Hoosiers trip to East Lansing on Sunday provides one last chance to add that gold star to their resume.

Maryland visits Assembly Hall next Thursday and the Terrapins have proven road success. Maryland has Quad 1 road wins at Iowa and Oregon.

If the Hoosiers win both of their remaining Quad 1 games, they will be in position to potentially move up the seed line for the tournament. If the Hoosiers lose them both, it would hurt, but probably not to the point where Indiana falls out of the field altogether.

Indiana needed a big win and got it on Thursday. The benefits will be reaped come March.