Fred Hoiberg analyzes how Ohio State has changed since coaching change

Nebraska will face Ohio State for the second time this season but will go against a different head coach for the Buckeyes after their firing of Chris Holtmann. That change has made an impact on the Buckeyes, though, based on how they’ve played since that decision.

Fred Hoiberg assessed Ohio State’s recent play under Jake Diebler ahead of the Cornhuskers’ matchup with them in Columbus tonight. He noted how all you need to do is look at their last three outcomes since their head coaching change. That run represents a fairly clear shift in success for them on the court.

“I mean it’s pretty obvious that Ohio State is playing at a very high level right now,” said Hoiberg in a press conference on Wednesday. “That win against Purdue was incredibly impressive with the adversity that they were going through as team. I’m sure a lot of emotions.”

“Following that up, as we all have? A little hangover after we play Purdue. Minnesota, obviously, played a great game at home as they usually do,” Hoiberg continued. “Then an unbelievable win on the road against a very difficult to play Michigan State team in the Breslin Center. Just finding a way to stay in that game and make play after play after play in the last 10 minutes.”

After a 62-54 loss to Wisconsin on February 13th, Ohio State fell to 14-11 overall following a 4-10 start to conference play. That included a 14-point defeat in Lincoln to Nebraska the first time around.

That was part of a 1-8 stretch over a month from January 6th to February 6th. The skid played a part in the department’s decision to move on from Holtmann during the season after seven years.

Ohio State then essentially had a full week to prep for their home stretch under Diebler. Diebler had been an assistant for the past five seasons and the associate head coach for the last three.

In their three games with Diebler, the Buckeyes won as many games in seven days than they had in the 28 days prior. They did drop a wire-to-wire loss at Minnesota but the two victories overshadow it. First off, they knocked off No. 2 Purdue by four in Diebler’s first outing as the interim. Then, a week later, they hit a game-winner at the buzzer to steal one in East Lansing after losing to the Spartans all game long.

If nothing else, Ohio State is performing with a better energy and spirit after the move from Holtmann to Diebler. Hoiberg has noticed that too ahead of his team’s game against them this evening inside Value City Arena.

“I’ve been really impressed with what they’re doing, with how hard they’re playing.”