Just under three weeks ago, March Madness came early.

Buckeyes junior forward Duane Washington Jr. fought tooth and nail Feb. 21 against then-No. 3 Michigan to score a career-high 30 points, ultimately coming up just short as then-No. 4 Ohio State lost an ever-thrilling 92-87 decision to the Wolverines.

The classic rivalry game saw the Buckeyes and Wolverines get within one point of each other 15 times in the second half. Sophomore forward E.J. Liddell said the Wolverines’ then-No. 3 ranking was justified, and that the Buckeyes can hang with the ballclub that is ever-so-embraced as ‘the team up north.’

Now, the next chapter of ‘The Rivalry’ will take place in the Big Ten Tournament, and it isn’t so surprising that these two AP Top 10 teams are meeting again.

“They’re a very good team,” Washington said Friday. “I told you guys previous in another interview that we’re gonna see them again - and here it is.”

FLASHBACK: Ohio State-Michigan had look and feel of NCAA Tournament game

RECAP: Buckeyes pushed beyond the brink but bounced back versus Boilermakers

Top-seeded No. 4 Michigan ended the regular season having lost two of its last three games, and displayed ferocity in Friday’s 79-66 second-round win over eighth-seeded Maryland. Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard was ejected with 10:44 in the second half following an exchange with Terrapins skipper Mark Turgeon.

Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said his team understands they’ll be playing a good team in the Wolverines, noting “when you advance in [the Big Ten] tournament, you’re going to play great teams.”

Ultimately, Holtmann said the Buckeyes must improve its defense come time to tipoff against Michigan as Ohio State allowed a season-high 92 points on 53.3% shooting.

Four Wolverines reached double-digit scoring against the Terrapins, but freshman center and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Hunter Dickinson scored just six. The big man recorded a team-high 22 points against Ohio State, and the Buckeyes must still emphasize defense even if it’s unlikely Michigan will open the first half shooting almost 77% from 3-point range again.

“We’ve got to defend a lot better,” Holtmann said. “We got to somehow get our legs under us and be able to respond quickly to a team that is a really complete team offensively and defensively. I think those are the big challenges in front of us right now, is we’ve got to get rest and respond.”

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A four-game losing streak commenced with the loss two-and-a-half weeks ago, and the Buckeyes were searching for their poise they once took advantage of in an earlier seven-game winning streak.

After dropping a 73-57 decision to then-No. 9 Iowa, Ohio State went a six-day stretch of rest. The Buckeyes used their time off to recover physically, refresh mentally and retry some things on the hardwood and, despite not coming up with the outcome they wanted to end the regular season, they still learned something about themselves.

“We never felt like we were a different team or anything like that; we know we’re a very good team and what we can do,” Washington said. “We just have to stick to it. Got back to work, took it on the chin and put our heads down and here we are, surviving and advancing.

“We got a big one tomorrow, so super excited.”

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Holtmann admitted he felt his team was playing well at times in the midst of its season-ending skid, and that Ohio State just wasn’t able to close out its contests.

As the now fourth-year Buckeyes head coach prepares for a tournament rematch with Michigan, he doesn’t want to forget how unique his team has been.

“It’s been a special group all year,” Holtmann said. “For us to do some of the things we’ve done - that I think quite honestly people weren’t sure we could - has been rewarding. I’m so hungry to continue to do it with this group because they’re fun to be around everyday.”

The Buckeyes will have to drum up a heightened level of what makes them special because of the unclear status of senior forward Kyle Young, who exited Friday and was evaluated for a concussion, according to Holtmann.

Young brought thunderous momentum against the Boilermakers, tying his career-high 18 points and exploding for four 3-pointers all just in the first half.

In Young’s absence, Holtmann tested different lineup combinations, which perhaps resulted in the late-game efficiency of graduate forward Seth Towns scoring 11 points and grabbing three rebounds.

MORE: Towns injects life into OSU offense in OT to hold off Purdue comeback

Holtmann said it was “a great testament” to his players for adjusting and performing, ultimately holding on and holding off Purdue’s scratching and clawing late Friday.

Taking what they learned from their first matchup, the Buckeyes will have an idea of what they need to do in order to top rival Michigan. It might be difficult to top the prime performance the two teams gave in February, but March basketball brings a different element of madness to it.

“Just going over game plan stuff, staying locked in, do what we need to do to come out with a dub and survive and advance,” Washington said. “Guys are locked and loaded.”