On Wednesday afternoon, Ohio State fired Head Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Holtmann. Holtmann was nearing the end of his seventh season in Columbus. The Buckeyes are 14-11 this season after finishing 16-19 last season. The team has lost nine of their last 11 games and are 4-10 in conference play this season. This puts them just one game back of the Michigan Wolverines for last place in the conference.
Ohio State had its first losing season in nearly two decades in 2022-23 and finished 13th in the Big Ten standings. A 20-300 record, 9-25 in conference play, over the last two seasons sealed Holtmann’s fate with the Buckeyes.
Holtmann’s Ohio State Tenure
Chris Holtmann is out at Ohio State, sources told ESPN. Was nearing the end of his seventh season in Columbus. Went to four NCAA tournaments, but went 5-15 in Big Ten play last season and the Buckeyes are 4-10 in league play this season. Haven’t won a road game since Jan. 2023.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) February 14, 2024
Holtmann finishes with a 137-86 record with the Buckeyes. This included back-to-back NCAA Tournament victories in 2018 and 2019 and four straight trips to the tournament (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022). The 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team went 21-10 and finished No. 19 in the AP poll in 2020.
Holtmann came to Columbus following three straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2015-2017) as the Head Coach at Butler. He took over the job one year after Brad Stevens was hired to be the Head Coach of the Boston Celtics. Holtmann signed a contract extension in the summer of 2022 that ran through the 2027-28 season. He is now owed nearly $14 million due to early termination.
Buckeyes Team Outlook
The Buckeyes had the No. 44 recruiting class in the country entering this season that did not play up to their potential. The Buckeyes have been unable to contend in a Big Ten conference that is weaker than in years past. Ohio State’s next game is at home on Saturday afternoon against No.2 Purdue and reigning Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year Zach Edey.
Following the game against Purdue, the Buckeyes have five consecutive games against fellow middling Big Ten teams (Minnesota, Michigan State, Nebraska, Michigan, and Rutgers). Ohio State is 169th in points per game this season (74,4) and 119th in opposing points per game (69.7).
Ohio State Looks To Return Program To National Prominence
Ohio State has not made the second week of the NCAA Tournament since 2012-13. At the time of publication, Ohio State has not named an interim head coach for the team’s final six games of the season.
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