Thad Matta’s 12th team at Ohio State has reminded him at times of one he coached eight seasons ago.
Coming off a loss in the national championship game, a young roster featuring Evan Turner, Jon Diebler and others peaked late and went on to win the National Invitation Tournament in 2008.
It’s the only Matta-coached Ohio State team eligible for postseason play to miss the NCAA tournament. And if this season’s team — at 18-10 overall and 10-5 in Big Ten play heading into a game tonight at No. 6 Michigan State — cannot close with a flourish, it’s likely headed down the same road.