The fact that head coach Chris Holtmann has led Ohio State to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons with the school is pretty incredible considering what he walked into. Holtmann didn’t take the Ohio State job until June 2017, putting him at a disadvantage compared to other coaches when it comes to recruiting. While Holtmann did have veterans like Keita Bates-Diop and Jae’Sean Tate to lean on, the job he did in his first season in Columbus earned him honors as Big Ten Coach of the Year.
With Bates-Diop and Tate having moved on to the professional ranks, Ohio State took a bit of a step back this year, but still were able to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.