Jake Diebler has brought hope back to the Ohio State basketball program

The Ohio State basketball team has some momentum right now. That’s not something anyone thought could happen even just a couple of weeks ago when Chris Holtmann got fired. This season was just supposed to spiral and go down the toilet as a lost year. Instead, Jake Diebler has strung together some wins.

Now that the Buckeyes beat Nebraska without the services of Bruce Thornton, there is some hope back with the program. There is a path to reach the bubble of the NCAA Tournament that now seems feasible. With two winnable games left in the regular season, Ohio State is now playing meaningful games down the stretch that make the fanbase engaged.

Can the Ohio State basketball team turn hope into wins?

Diebler getting the hope back with this program is one thing, but can he continue to bring in the wins? Michigan is the next game on the docket and they are the worst team in the Big Ten. They just got smoked by Rutgers, who is also a bad team. The Buckeyes finish off their season at Rutgers in a game that could determine if they get a bye in the Big Ten Tournament.

Based on what we’ve seen so far from Diebler, this team really responds to him. Not just that, but he’s getting them to play faster. Holtmann’s team’s never played an up-tempo type of basketball. Diebler is asking his guys to get up the court quicker so they don’t have to deal with defenses setting up in the half-court. The result has been easier buckets.

Scoring in transition has improved under Diebler too. The Buckeyes are playing a more aggressive brand of defense and that has resulted in more steals. More steals have led to more breakout opportunities for the team and easier points. Holtmann’s teams over the last couple of years never seemed to be able to get easy points.

If Diebler is able to pull off the miracle of all miracles, there’s no question he’ll get the permanent job once the season is over. This team now has given hope to the fans, and to the players.