8-seeded Ohio State suffered a brutal loss to 9-seeded TCU in the opener of the NCAA Tournament today. After the game, Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler wanted to focus on the positives. But as you might expect, Ohio State fans weren't in the mood.
Speaking to reporters after the Buckeyes' 66-64 loss to the Horned Frogs, Diebler highlighted the "toughness and family atmosphere" that the team brought to the court this year. He said it was great to coach so many great young men this past season.
"I hope people saw and appreciate the toughness and family atmosphere we have in this program. That's what this program was built upon... We got great young men in that locker room, and they were a real joy to coach."
Right Message, Wrong Time
While there's nothing wrong with what Diebler said, Ohio State fans weren't in the mood to hear it. Just about everyone complained that Diebler has been a detriment to the basketball program through his 2.5 years in charge.
"Let’s all hope that Ohio State can recruit a coach with the same effort extended to the football program. There’s no shame in dominating in two sports…" one user said dismissively.
"People care about winning Jake, this isn't intramurals," another wrote.
"Super cool that the expectations of Ohio State basketball are the same now as a tee ball team of 7 year olds," wrote a third.
"Nobody care about the family atmosphere. Win some damn games."
"Beyond this, I don’t think OSU basketball has an identity. All nice, but it’s a program at a very large university that seriously needs an evaluation from a program building coach. Maybe it’s a GM but somebody with success needs to be brought in to fix whats out on the floor."
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Diebler's second full season in charge was his most successful by far. The Buckeyes went 20-11 in the regular season, 12-8 in the Big Ten, and notched a pair of crucial ranked wins in February that pushed them over the top and into the NCAA Tournament.
But while they did secure a spot in the tournament for the first time in four years, they promptly went one-and-done. They haven't reached the Sweet Sixteen since 2013.
Will Diebler improve next season, or will Ohio State go in a different direction?
