INDIANAPOLIS –
The Butler Way worked for Thad Matta at Ohio State. Now the Buckeyes are going that way for their new head basketball coach.
Ohio State is hiring Butler’s Chris Holtmann, 45, as its next coach. He succeeds Thad Matta, 49, a former Butler player and coach whose 13-year tenure with the Buckeyes ended June 5.
Other candidates included two other Big East coaches, Creighton's Greg McDermott and Xavier's Chris Mack. McDermott reportedly met Wednesday with Ohio State officials but chose to stay at Creighton.
Holtmann, who was 70-31 in three seasons at Butler, had signed a contract extension intended to keep him with the Bulldogs through 2024-25.