Jake Diebler calls Big Ten the best conference in college basketball

Ohio State head men’s basketball coach Jake Diebler made a bold claim when speaking to reporters ahead of a conference opener at Maryland on Wednesday: He thinks the Big Ten is the best and deepest league in the country.

While Diebler would certainly get some push back from other corners of the college hoops world, he’s likely got the backing of his Big Ten peers. And with the league now at 18 teams with four new West Coast members, he thinks it’s only getting deeper and better — and evolving.

“But certainly excited to see how the new teams impact the overall style of the league,” Diebler said. “I think the style has shifted over the last few years. You’re seeing a little bit more pace. You’re seeing, I think, a little more space. And you’re seeing different defenses which certainly presents challenges as you prep and prepare. So I think we have the best league in the country top to bottom and it seems like the parity is at an all-time high.”

The Buckeyes head coach and Ohio native has also spent plenty of time around the Big Ten and college basketball.

He doesn’t always think it’s been this way.

“And you look at what teams are doing in our league. Back even when I was growing up or even five to 10 years ago, you used to look at your schedule and go, ‘OK.’ Maybe there would be a chance for you to catch your breath in conference play,” Diebler said. “That doesn’t exist and really it’s quite opposite. You are required to bring your absolute best every single game if you want to have a chance to win. Home or on the road. And I think that’s unique to our league.”

In the latest AP Top 25, four Big Ten teams were ranked, and the highest was No. 8 Purdue. However, a number of others are receiving votes, to Diebler’s point about depth, as the likes of Michigan and Michigan State could soon be ranked.

And it’s all got Diebler confident the Big Ten is unmatched in college hoops.

“Well I think the depth of our conference, just kind of speaking in general: The parity and depth of the Big Ten, I think, is second to none across the country,” Diebler said.