Watch: Former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann explains what went wrong

Do you buy Holtmann’s answer?

As well all know, [autotag]Chris Holtmann[/autotag] has been hired by DePaul and Ohio State removed the interim tag from [autotag]Jake Diebler[/autotag] and officially announced his hiring on Sunday.

What we didn’t know was why Holtmann believed that the Buckeyes moved away from him. During his introductory press conference on Monday, the former Ohio State coach was fairly succinct on his explanation: roster construction.

Holtmann didn’t think that he managed mixing his youth along with experience on the Buckeye roster, but mentioned that the group was not consistent enough to make a return to the NCAA Tournament.

Honestly, this is a cop out in my eyes, as Diebler was a win away from getting this team into the tournament. On top of that, in the era of one-and-done, you have to prepare for this. You think Holtmann would have learned after Malaki Branham, but he obviously didn’t

It’s fairly disappointing that Holtmann took part of the blame, as it was pretty clear that he was a much bigger part of the issue.

What do you think about Holtmann’s answer to his struggles in Columbus which led to his termination?

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Ohio State basketball vs. Cornell: How to watch, stream the NIT

Ohio State hosts Cornell in the first-round of the NIT. #GoBucks

The Ohio State basketball team has been fun to watch since Jake Diebler took over the program. While the Buckeyes came up just a bit short in their bid to get into the NCAA Tournament, the team did get an invite to the NIT as a No. 2 seed. That means Ohio State gets to host the first-round game against Cornell out of the Ivy League.

The Big Red have an overall record of 22-7 and finished tied second in the conference, but lost to eventual conference champ Yale in the Ivy League Tournament.

Time to get ready for some bonus basketball!

Basic info

When: Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. ET

Where:  Value City Arena (Columbus, Ohio)

How to watch/stream/listen:

Broadcast: ESPN2

Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)

Radio: IMG Radio Network (flagship station WBNS 97.1 The Fan)

Radio announcers:

  • Paul Keels (play-by-play)
  • Ron Stokes (analysis)

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Ohio State baseball goes wild Sunday, takes series at West Virginia

That was one heck of a getaway day performance from the Bucks

While Game 1 of the series didn’t go Ohio State baseball’s way against host West Virginia, the rest of the games sure did.

Friday night saw the Buckeyes lose 5-2, but on Saturday they woke up during the sixth inning. Trailing 4-3 heading into the top of the frame, Ohio State scored two runs to take the lead, then another two the next inning to get the win 7-4.

Sunday was all about the Buckeyes offense, as they scored 26 runs to take the series and get their season record above .500 at 10-8. The first, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth all saw Ohio State score multiple runs in those innings.

The biggest two were the sixth and eighth, where they scored right and seven runs respectively. Third baseman Tyler Pettorini led the charge with five RBIs, while outfielder Isaac Cadena, shortstop Henry Kaczmar, catcher Matthew Graveline, second baseman Joseph Mershon, outfielder Mitchell Okuley, designated hitter Nick Giamarusti, and pinch hitter Hank Thomas all had at least two RBI on the day.

Ohio State finally gets its home portion of the schedule started when it hosts Georgetown this weekend for a three-game series in Bill Davis Stadium.

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Ohio State basketball to take part in NIT Tournament

The Ohio State basketball team will be playing in the postseason. #GoBucks

Newly minted Ohio State men’s basketball coach Jake Diebler will get to continue to showcase his talents before the end of the season. After falling a bit short of an NCAA bid despite a late-season surge, the Buckeyes were selected — and accepted — a No. 2 seed in the NIT Tournament on Sunday night.

The Buckeyes will host a game in Value City Arena against No. 7 seed Cornell on either Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. Ohio State last appeared in the NIT in 2017 under Thad Matta and last won the whole thing in 2008, also with Matta steering the ship.

The fact that OSU is even in the postseason is pretty remarkable considering that it lost nine of eleven games prior to Chris Holtmann being dismissed on February 14. Getting a young team extra practice and playing time could be well worth it, and hey, who knows, maybe playing for a championship — any championship will get this team to come together even more.

As an official date and time is announced for the game this week, we’ll have it for you so check back.

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Ohio State women’s ice hockey to take part in fourth-straight Frozen Four Friday

Another shot at a title for the women’s ice hockey program. #GoBucks

It’s easy to get spoiled with the recent run of the Ohio State women’s ice hockey team, but it’s the last thing anyone on the team should be thinking about after the Buckeyes secured their fourth-straight trip to the Frozen Four with a decisive 9-0 win over Minnesota-Duluth over the weekend.

The Buckeyes will now travel to Durham, New Hampshire, on Friday to begin its quest for a second national title in three years as the No. 1 overall seed with a 33-4 record. OSU will face No. 4 seed Clarkson Friday at 4 p.m. ET and then will take on the winner of No. 2 seed Wisconsin vs. No. 3 seed Colgate if it gets into its third-straight national championship game. The Badgers beat the Buckeyes in last season’s national title matchup.

The national championship game is set for 4 p.m. ET in Durham, New Hampshire, as well on Sunday, March 24.

Head coach Nadine Muzerall has turned the OSU women’s ice hockey team into the best program in the country and we should all continue to take notice and root the ladies on towards a potential national championship.

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Ohio State women’s basketball pegged as No. 2 seed in NCAA Tournament

Let the journey begin! #GoBucks

Fresh off of a regular season Big Ten title, but a disappointing showing in the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament, the Ohio State women’s basketball team was selected as an at-large No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday evening.

By virtue of its high seeding, the Buckeyes have the opportunity to host first and second round games in Value City Arena. They will take on No. 15 seed Maine in the first round, and then the winner of No. 7 Duke and No. 10 Richmond should they advance past the first game.

Ohio State is in the Portland region meaning should it advance to the Sweet 16, it will travel to Oregon for the right to make it through those games for a chance at returning back to Ohio for the Final Four in Cleveland.

Other teams in OSU’s bracket include No. 1 seed USC, a team the Buckeyes lost to in the first game of the season, No. 3 seed UConn, No. 4 seed Virginia Tech, and yes, Michigan, with whom Ohio State split the season series with.

Here’s a look at the complete bracket thanks to CBS Sports social media.

Ohio State made it to the Elite 8 last season and will be chasing its first Final Four since the 1993 season that featured all-time great Katie Smith.

Ohio State softball drops decision to Kentucky

Back at it Sunday. #GoBucks

The Ohio State softball team is still trying to find its best self after a 9-4 loss to SEC foe Kentucky on Saturday, its second-straight loss.

The Buckeyes started off on the right foot by scoring the first run of the game on a double steal of second and home. That was short-lived though because the Wildcats came right back in the bottom of the inning with two, two-run home runs to take a 4-1 lead after just one inning.

Kirsten Eppele got OSU back to within one however with a two-run bomb of her own in the top of the second inning and just like that, we had a game again at 4-3 Kentucky. Jasmyn Burns would hit another homer for OSU in the top of the third inning to draw things even at four runs each.

That would be the last time the Buckeyes were tied though. The Wildcats grabbed the lead back on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning, then would add four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth to break the game open with a score of 9-4.

And that would be all the scoring for the game. Allison Smith took the loss, giving up five runs on five hits, while striking out two and walking three in 2.1 innings.

OSU and UK will do battle again on Sunday afternoon.

 

Jake Diebler named new Ohio State men’s basketball head coach

Boom! Share a GIF on how you feel about this. #GoBucks

The interim tag has been removed from Ohio State basketball coach Jake Diebler, the university confirmed in a statement on Sunday.

Diebler took over after former head coach Chris Holtmann was fired a few weeks ago and made an immediate difference in the play and culture of the program. He steered the team to a 6-2 record and nearly pulled off an improbable late season run towards an NCAA berth. His teams beat Big Ten regular-season champion Purdue at home, won two away games — including at Michigan State, and instilled belief back into the program.

For his efforts on and off the court, he will now be the face of the program going forward.

“Jake Diebler possesses all of the characteristics we were seeking as we conducted a very comprehensive and thorough search for a new head coach,” OSU athletic director Ross Bjork said in a statement. “Those include coaching ability, passion, energy, program knowledge, character, integrity and ties to Ohio. As an Ohio native, the son of a longtime Ohio high school coach and with deep connections to Ohio State, Jake knows what it takes to lead this program on a championship course.”

Diebler is the first Ohioan to be named the Ohio State men’s basketball head coach in 35 years.

“Throughout the search, every time we analyzed what was best for the program, our decision kept leading right back to Jake,” Bjork said. “The way he has led the program since February 14 has been exemplary and is only the beginning of what lies ahead for Buckeye Basketball. The future is exciting, and I cannot wait to watch him lead this program.”

“Our Buckeyes have rallied and shown true grit on the court with Coach Diebler, who has exhibited impressive leadership with the team,” said President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr in the same release from the university. “In addition to his multiple wins since being named interim head coach, he’s been an inspiration to the players. I’ve gotten to know Jake and I’m confident he will continue to lead the team admirably.”

For his part, Diebler is of course excited to move forward as the new head coach.

“It’s a blessing and a privilege to serve this program and I’m excited for this opportunity,” Diebler said. “I’d like to thank Ross Bjork and President Carter for believing in me and the vision that I have moving forward. Ohio State basketball is special and means so much to me and my family. I look forward to serving the entire Ohio State basketball family as best as I possibly can.”

Jake and his wife have two young daughters, Jaymes and Jessa, and a young son, Jackson. They are expecting a fourth childe in July.

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Ohio State baseball beats West Virginia to even weekend series

Back above .500 #GoBucks

It’s been one up and down early season for the Ohio State baseball team and that continued on Saturday. After dropping the first game to West Virginia Friday night, the Buckeyes bounced back for a 7-4 win in Morgantown on Saturday night.

OSU jumped ahead of the Mountaineers early on by plating three runs in the top of the first inning. Tyler Pettorini singled in the first run, followed by Matt Graveline scoring on an error. Nick Giamarusti then finished the first inning scoring with an RBI single to his credit.

West Virginia would even the score with three runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth inning, and then take its first lead of the game, 4-3, in the bottom of the fifth with another score.

Ohio State would answer quickly though in the top of the sixth inning when Hank Thomas went yard for a two-run homer to give the Buckeyes the lead again, 5-4.

The OSU pitching would should down the Mountaineers from there and OSU would score two more times thanks to an RBI double from Joshua Stevenson and an RBI single by Thomas. Closer Justin Eckhardt would close the door in the ninth inning to give the Buckeyes the victory.

With the win, OSU runs its record to 9-8 and will play the rubber match against West Virginia on Sunday afternoon.

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Justin Fields traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers

Welp. How do you feel about this landing spot for Fields? #GoBucks

After multiple trade rumors and an apparent cooling of the market, former Ohio State quarterback, Justin Fields, has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Fields never really had things click for him in Chicago after being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. He showed flashed of brilliance, especially with his ability to make plays on the ground, but whether it was the weapons around him, or his inability to develop further, the passing prowess never got to where it needed to be as an NFL quarterback.

With the Bears holding the No. 1 overall pick, and after the organization decided to try and build around him for one more season, it just never clicked. As such, the organization appears to be moving in the direction of selecting a quarterback in the first round in the upcoming draft.

For Fields, it’s not a great landing spot — at least not initially. The Steelers already have Russell Wilson as the presumed starter, so the former Big Ten Player of the Year will be used in a backup role. With the age of both signal-callers, maybe there’s a chance soon down the road, but there’s no doubt it’s a step back for a player with the tools and athleticism Fields possesses.

In return for Fields, the Bears will get a 2025 sixth-round draft pick that could turn into a fourth round pick if he plays 51% or more of the snaps for Pittsburgh next season  — according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

If there’s a silver lining here, the Steelers have been as good as anyone at personnel moves and Fields probably has a better chance at developing in Pittsburgh. We’ll just have to see how it all shakes out.

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