The Ohio State men's basketball team will take an international trip to Puerto Rico this offseason, Jake Diebler confirmed on Thursday. The Buckeyes will play exhibition games on Aug. 2 and Aug. 3, according to a team spokesperson.

Before 2026, men's and women's basketball teams were only allowed to participate in an international tour once every four years. But in April, the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a rule change to allow programs to take an international trip every offseason.

On an international trip, teams are permitted to play exhibition games against international professional clubs, national teams and foreign university teams. Teams are also granted 10 additional practices leading up to the scheduled tour, a major advantage for blending incoming freshmen and transfer portal additions into the roster before official fall workouts begin.

The additional practice time, exhibition games, and opportunity for team chemistry and camaraderie make an international trip well worth it.

This will be Ohio State's first international trip with Jake Diebler as head coach, as the Buckeyes made trips to Canada (2006), Brazil (2010), Spain (2019) and Italy (2023). OSU last traveled to Puerto Rico for the Holiday Classic in 1998.