Helena Frye
The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team has had a rich history, with their first official home court at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, which had a capacity of 7,000 people. In the 2005-06 season, the Buckeyes finished with a 26-6 record and entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 seed. The following year, they improved their record to 27-3 and ended the season as the top-ranked team in the nation, entering the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed. The Buckeyes play their home games in the 19,200-seat Value City Arena, and their success has led to significant investments in their facilities, with Ohio State University spending $19 million on renovations in 2013 and an additional $34 million in 2018.
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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 since 1898, when the first basketball team at the university was formed. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference, which was previously known as the Big Nine Conference until 1912.
During the team's formative years, the Buckeyes played their home games at the Ohio State University Armory, a massive brick medieval-style building constructed in 1897. From 1897 to 1917, the Buckeyes also used the building known as "Drill Hall" or "The Gymnasium" as their home court. In 1920, the Buckeyes moved to the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, which served as their official home court until 1955. This facility had a capacity of 7,000 people.
In 1955, a new arena was built on the campus of Ohio State University, named the St. John Arena after the university's basketball coach and athletic director, Lynn St. John. This arena has a capacity of 13,276 and is the only Buckeye arena to serve as home to an Ohio State men's basketball championship team, in 1960. The St. John Arena continues to host volleyball, gymnastics, and wrestling events to this day.
As the St. John Arena aged, the university decided to build a new arena, the Value City Arena, to host men's and women's basketball, as well as hockey. The Value City Arena, located within the Jerome Schottenstein Center, was completed in 1998 and has a capacity of 19,200 for basketball games. The Schottenstein Center has undergone several renovations, including a $19 million update in 2013 and a $34 million improvement in 2018, adding new facilities and improving the concourse.
The Buckeyes have experienced success on the court, with notable wins and championship titles. For example, during Matta's first season, the Buckeyes defeated undefeated top-ranked Illinois and compiled a 20-12 record. In the 2005-06 season, the Buckeyes achieved their first outright Big Ten championship since 1991-92, ending the season with a 26-6 record. In the 2006-07 season, Matta's team entered the NCAA tournament as the overall No. 1 seed, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time under Matta.
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Home game venues
The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team currently plays their home games at the Value City Arena, a 19,200-seat multi-purpose arena located on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The arena, which opened in 1998, is named the Jerome Schottenstein Center in honour of its lead benefactor, Jerome Schottenstein, the late founder of Schottenstein Stores Corp. The seating bowl is also named after Schottenstein's store – Value City Furniture.
The Value City Arena is currently the largest in the Big Ten Conference by seating capacity, with 19,049 seats, which is reduced to 18,809 for Ohio State men's and women's basketball games. The Buckeyes' previous home venues include the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum (1920-1955), the St. John Arena (from 1955), and the OSU Armory (1897-1917). The Ohio Expo Center Coliseum was constructed in 1918 and had a capacity of 7,000 people. The St. John Arena, named after Lynn St. John, an Ohio State basketball coach and athletic director, has a capacity of 13,276 and is still used today for volleyball, gymnastics, and wrestling. The OSU Armory, a massive brick medieval-style building, was demolished in 1958 after being damaged by a fire.
In 2010, the athletic department reconfigured the student section in the Value City Arena to improve the gameday atmosphere. This involved seating students behind the team benches and the basket that the opponent shoots at during the second half, making them visible on television broadcasts. To accommodate this change, 240 seats were tarped off behind the student section to ensure unobstructed views for spectators, and the student ticket allotment was reduced.
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Coaching staff
The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team has had 16 head coaches since its formation in 1898. The current head coach is Jake Diebler, who was initially hired as an interim coach following the departure of Chris Holtmann in 2024. Diebler was previously Holtmann's assistant coach.
Holtmann had a decorated career before joining the Buckeyes. He played high school basketball at Jessamine County High School and was recruited to play at Brescia College, before transferring to Taylor University in 1992. After graduating with a degree in psychology in 1994, he went on to earn a master's degree in athletic administration from Ball State in 2000. Holtmann began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Taylor University in 1997, before becoming an assistant coach at Geneva College. He then joined the staff at Gardner-Webb in 2002, where he spent five seasons and earned a reputation as a strong recruiter and defensive tactician. During his time at Gardner-Webb, the team had two recruiting classes ranked in the top 100.
In 2008, Holtmann was hired as an assistant coach at Butler University under Brandon Miller. After one year, he was named interim head coach when Miller took a leave of absence. As interim coach, he led the team to a 10-4 start and a third-place finish in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, which earned them a ranking of #15 in the AP Poll. On the back of this strong start, Holtmann had the "interim" tag removed and became the 23rd head coach of the Butler University men's basketball team in January 2015.
Thad Matta, who was hired by Ohio State in 2004, is another notable former coach of the Buckeyes. During his time at the helm, the team had a number of successful seasons, including winning the Big Ten tournament in 2007 and achieving a 29-2 record in the 2010-11 season, which culminated in their second consecutive Big Ten tournament championship.
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Player recruitment
The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team has a rich history when it comes to player recruitment and development. The team's success in attracting top talent has contributed to its success on the court over the years.
One of the most notable periods of player recruitment for the Buckeyes came under the leadership of coach Fred Taylor, who was hired in 1958. During his second season, Taylor guided the Buckeyes to their first national championship in 1960, with a team that included future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek. This triumph firmly established Ohio State as a prominent force in college basketball.
The Buckeyes continued to build on this success, making four additional trips to the Final Four during Taylor's 18-year tenure. His ability to identify and recruit talented players was instrumental in the team's consistent performance.
In more recent years, the Buckeyes have also showcased their prowess in player recruitment. During the 2009-10 season, under coach Thad Matta, the Buckeyes boasted a strong recruiting class, which included key seniors such as David Lighty and Jon Diebler. This experienced group helped the team achieve a 24-7 record and a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship.
Matta's 2006-07 recruiting class was also highly regarded, featuring notable players like Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. This class contributed to the Buckeyes' success in the 2005-06 season, where they captured their first outright Big Ten championship since the 1991-92 season.
Additionally, the 2017-18 season under coach Holtmann stands out as a successful campaign. The Buckeyes exceeded expectations, achieving a 25-9 overall record and a second-place finish in the Big Ten regular season. This season was fueled by the outstanding performances of players like Big Ten Player of the Year, Keita Bates-Diop, and four-year starter, Jae'Sean Tate, both of whom have since gone on to play in the NBA.
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Tournament rankings
The Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team has had several notable tournament rankings and achievements over the years. During Matta's first season, the Buckeyes compiled a 20–12 record, which included a notable win over undefeated top-ranked Illinois. However, they were defeated by Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals and became ineligible for further postseason play due to self-imposed sanctions.
In the 2005–06 season, the Buckeyes started with an 11–0 record in Big Ten play and finished with an impressive 26–6 record overall, securing their first outright Big Ten championship since the 1991–92 season. Despite losing to Iowa in the Big Ten tournament championship game, they received a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, their tournament run ended in the second round with a loss to No. 7 seed Georgetown.
The following season, Matta's 2006–07 Ohio State team entered the preseason polls ranked No. 4, showcasing their potential. They lived up to the ranking by ending the regular season with a strong 14-game winning streak, finishing with a 27–3 record. The Buckeyes defeated No. 20 Tennessee and No. 2 Wisconsin during this impressive streak and ultimately secured the top ranking in the nation. They went on to win the Big Ten tournament, defeating Wisconsin in the championship game, and entered the NCAA tournament as the overall No. 1 seed.
The Buckeyes play their home games at the Value City Arena, which has a capacity of 19,200 seats. The team's success and dedicated fan base have led to significant investments in their facilities, including a $19 million renovation to the Schottenstein Center in 2013 and a $34 million renovation completed in 2018 to improve the concourse and add new amenities.
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Frequently asked questions
The Buckeyes are the name of the sports teams from Ohio State University.
In 2006, the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team was ranked No. 2 in the NCAA tournament. In 2007, they were ranked No. 1.
The Buckeyes presently play their home games in the 19,200-seat Value City Arena.
No, the first official home court for the Buckeyes was the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, which they played at from 1920 to 1955. They then moved to the St. John Arena, which was built in 1955.
