Ayrton Oneill
The Ohio State Buckeyes have a long history in basketball, with their first team formed in 1898. The men's basketball team has had periods of success, including four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances under coach Jim O'Brien in the early 2000s, and a national championship in 1960 under coach Fred Taylor. The women's basketball team has also achieved notable accomplishments, including being selected as a No. 2 seed for the 2024 NCAA Tournament and clinching the program's league-leading 16th regular-season championship in the same year. With this in mind, it is clear that Ohio State has a rich basketball history and has often been a contender in the sport's tournaments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of the first basketball team formation | 1898 |
| Year of joining the Big Nine Conference | 1912 |
| Number of NCAA Tournament championships | 1 |
| Year of the first championship | 1960 |
| Year of the last championship | N/A |
| Number of Final Four appearances | 4 |
| Number of Big Ten championships | 5 |
| Number of conference championships | 7 |
| Winning percentage | Over 65% |
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What You'll Learn
Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball history
The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team represents Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The team was formed in 1898, and their first game was against East High. The Buckeyes joined the Big Nine Conference in 1912, which later became known as the Big Ten.
The Buckeyes' first conference championship came during the 1922-1923 season under head coach Harold Olsen. The Olsen era also included an appearance in the national championship game for the first NCAA Championship tournament in 1939, where they lost to Oregon. The Buckeyes made three more Final Four appearances and won five Big Ten championships during Olsen's tenure.
Following Olsen, Tippy Dye and Floyd Stahl led the Buckeyes with less success. The team then hired Fred Taylor in 1958, and in 1960, he led the Buckeyes to their first national championship, defeating California 75-55 in the final game. Taylor's team returned to the national championship game in 1961 and 1962 but lost both times to Cincinnati. During Taylor's 18 seasons, the Buckeyes made five tournament appearances and four trips to the Final Four.
After Taylor's departure in 1976, the Buckeyes struggled to find consistent success. Between 1976 and 1997, they made the NCAA bracket only eight times and were crowned conference champions twice. In 1997, Jim O'Brien was hired as head coach, and during his seven-year tenure, the team achieved four 20+ win seasons, two Big Ten regular-season co-championships, the 2002 Big Ten tournament championship, and four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. However, O'Brien was fired over alleged NCAA rules violations.
The Buckeyes have played their home games at various arenas over the years, including the Ohio State University Armory, St. John Arena, and the Value City Arena in the Jerome Schottenstein Center, which underwent renovations in 2013 and 2018 to improve facilities and add new spaces.
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The Olsen era
Olsen's influence extended beyond the basketball court. He was placed in charge of the newly formed NCAA Basketball Tournament Committee, which decided to split the nation in half and conduct four-team tournaments in the East and West, with the winners of each meeting in the middle. Olsen found himself in the unique position of overseeing the first NCAA tournament while also coaching a team in it.
The Buckeyes earned a berth in the title game after beating Wake Forest and Villanova. However, they fell to the Oregon team, known as the "Tall Firs", with a final score of 46-33. Despite the loss, the NCAA recognised the tournament's potential and took on financial responsibility moving forward.
Olsen's teams would make two more Final Four appearances in 1944 and 1945, with a third consecutive appearance in 1946, securing an unprecedented bid to the NCAA tournament for OSU. This capped off the most successful three-year run in Buckeye basketball history at the time.
Olsen's legacy at Ohio State is undeniable, and he laid the foundation for the basketball program's future success, including its first NCAA Championship Title in 1960.
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Fred Taylor's coaching tenure
Fred Taylor's tenure as head basketball coach at Ohio State University is regarded as the most successful period in Buckeye basketball history. Taylor, a native of Zanesville, Ohio, played centre on the Ohio State basketball team from 1948 to 1950 and graduated in 1950. He returned to his alma mater in 1953 as a coach and took over as head coach in 1959.
In his second season as head coach, Taylor led the Buckeyes to their first national championship, defeating California 75-55 in the final game. The 1960 season remains the only NCAA Tournament championship that the Buckeyes have claimed. Taylor's team made it back to the national championship game in 1961 and 1962, but they lost both times to in-state rival Cincinnati. Taylor's Buckeyes made a total of five NCAA Tournament appearances during his 18 seasons as head coach, which included four trips to the Final Four (1960, 1961, 1962, 1968). They won or shared seven Big Ten titles and set numerous records, including 32 consecutive victories, 47 straight regular-season wins, and 50 straight home wins.
Taylor retired from coaching in 1976, and his last season at Ohio State was the Buckeyes' worst, with a record of 6-20. After his coaching career, Taylor managed the U.S. National Team in the 1978 FIBA World Championships and the 1979 Pan American Games. He was also a television analyst for college basketball during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Taylor was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
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Jim O'Brien's coaching tenure
Jim O'Brien was hired as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team in 1997, replacing Randy Ayers. During his seven-year tenure, O'Brien led the team to significant successes, including four 20-win seasons, two Big Ten regular-season co-championships, and the 2002 Big Ten tournament championship. They also made four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 1999 to 2002, a school record.
O'Brien's coaching career began in 1977 as an assistant coach at UConn. In 1982, he became the head coach at St. Bonaventure, leading them to a successful tenure that included an A-10 title in 1983. He then returned to his alma mater, Boston College, in 1986, where he coached for eleven seasons. During his time at Boston College, O'Brien prioritised academics, with all 25 players who completed their eligibility also earning their degrees in his first ten years. He also led the team to three NCAA tournament appearances and several postseason appearances.
In 1997, O'Brien was hired by Ohio State, and his time there appeared to be incredibly successful. However, controversy arose when it was discovered that he had provided a $6,000 loan to the mother of a recruit, Aleksandar Radojević, which was a violation of NCAA rules. As a result, O'Brien was fired by Ohio State in 2004, and the school had to vacate all wins from 1999 to 2002 and remove all references to team accomplishments during that period. O'Brien was initially banned from coaching until 2008 but returned to coaching in 2011, taking a job at D-III Emerson College in Boston. He retired from coaching in 2014.
Despite the controversial end to his tenure, O'Brien's time at Ohio State is remembered for his impressive coaching achievements, including multiple championships and the team's unprecedented four-consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. His impact on the team's success and his recognition through various coaching awards highlight his significant contribution to the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball programme.
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Current coaching staff
The current head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team is Jake Diebler, who was officially named to the role on March 17, 2024. Diebler, who was born and raised in Ohio, previously served as an assistant coach at Ohio State from 2019 until 2024, when he was named interim head coach following the departure of Chris Holtmann. Diebler has also worked as an assistant coach at Valparaiso and Vanderbilt, and as a video coordinator under former Ohio State head coach Thad Matta.
Diebler's father, Keith, and his younger brother, Jon, are also basketball coaches. Despite this, he initially had no desire to follow in their footsteps, stating that he "tried to deny being a coach probably because I saw my dad as a coach." However, he eventually decided to pursue a coaching career due to the positive impact that coaches had on him throughout his life.
Diebler has a reputation for being a good recruiter. As of 2024, the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team's coaching staff also includes:
- Associate Head Coach: Joel Justus
- Assistant Coaches: Dave Dickerson, Jamall Walker, Talor Battle, and Luke Simons
- Director of Basketball Operations: David Egelhoff
- Director of Player Development: Terence Dials
- Special Assistant to the Head Coach: Nicholas Kellogg
- Video Coordinator: Robbie Rucki
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team has participated in the NCAA Tournament. The team first appeared in the NCAA Championship tournament in 1939, where they lost to Oregon 33-46. The Buckeyes have made four Final Four appearances and won five Big Ten championships. The team has also claimed seven conference titles and has a winning percentage of over 65%.
Yes, the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team won their first and only NCAA Tournament championship in 1960 under coach Fred Taylor. The team defeated California 75-55 in the final game.
The Ohio State women's basketball team has participated in the NCAA Tournament, but the specific years and results are unclear.
No, the Ohio State women's basketball team has not won an NCAA Tournament as of 2025.
