COLUMBUS, Ohio — Maybe this was the low point for coach Jake Diebler and Ohio State basketball, and what comes next is an inspiring story of patience and redemption.
The chants of “Let’s go blue” inside the Schottenstein Center as No. 2 Michigan pulled away from deservedly unranked Ohio State on Sunday. The comments postgame from Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg, saying OSU is a good team that doesn’t, “belong in the same conversation as us.” The confidence of UM coach Dusty May, voicing his belief that the Wolverines are a bad matchup for the Buckeyes.
“I know they’re good, but I think we are too,” Diebler said postgame. “Disappointed we didn’t beat them.”
Maybe this will be a defining moment for a young coach tasked with rejuvenating the program his brother, Jon, once played for. Diebler is only a second-year coach, and as was evident with football coach Ryan Day, experience can be invaluable.
With time, Diebler could become a decorated coach in the game. He can become beloved in Columbus, with fans wearing his brother’s No. 33 jersey courtside as they watch the Buckeyes play at a level comparable to May and Michigan.
Does Ohio State’s athletic department have the patience to find out if that’s how this story is meant to end, though? Can the Buckeyes withstand more years on the March Madness bubble, hoping their favorite team makes it into a tournament field of 68 teams?
Athletic director Ross Bjork will have to find the answers to these questions, with Michigan’s rise to excellence only adding urgency to an impatient fanbase.
Ironically, May knows what Ohio State basketball should look like. He’s a native of Indiana who worked as a student manager for the Hoosiers under legendary coach Bob Knight. He mentioned growing up in the “heyday” of OSU hoops, watching Dennis Hopson, Jay Burson and Jim Jackson.
May knows what the team on the other side of this rivalry can look like, as does Diebler.
“We’re not trying to just be good,” Diebler said. “We’re trying to win championships here.”
His route to doing so will take time the Buckeyes may not have.
Michigan and Ohio State moved on from coaches Juwan Howard and Chris Holtmann, respectively, two years ago. The rivals addressed the openings in differing ways.
The Buckeyes promoted Diebler, an assistant, to the top job. The Wolverines hired one of the hottest names from the mid-major level, a coach in May who led Florida Atlantic to a Final Four in 2023.
May’s success at Michigan tells the story of a coach who turned a program around with immediacy, leading the Wolverines to a conference tournament title in his first season. But his time as a head coach started with four seasons at FAU where he battled to finish above .500.
Diebler went 17-15 last season — his first as Ohio State’s permanent head coach. He’s 15-8 this season, sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble with potential resume-boosting games against Virginia, Michigan State, Iowa and Purdue still on the schedule.
“Tomorrow is a new day,” guard Bruce Thornton said. “The sun is going to rise. We’ve just got to move on.”
Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton, right, tries to dribble past Michigan’s L.J. Cason, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)AP
But a bubble team’s schedule isn’t filled only with opportunity. The Buckeyes could lose those games, failing to add to a resume with no Quadrant 1 wins. Ohio State could also fall at Penn State or fail to beat teams such as Southern Cal, Wisconsin and Indiana at home.
It’s an uphill climb — one that may not define Diebler’s career even if it falls short. Ohio State has signed five-star prospect Anthony Thompson, giving Diebler a talented player as he enters his third season at the helm.
Maybe Diebler’s breakthrough in this profession is coming.
However, just as the discussion about Ohio State’s schedule and tournament hopes can be viewed with optimism, Diebler’s career arc doesn’t come with certainty.
Experience doesn’t guarantee success. Another year of coaching for Diebler doesn’t mean the Buckeyes will become a fixture in March Madness and make their rivalry with the Wolverines competitive.
In an era where rosters quickly flip and a team such as Michigan can go from eight wins one year to a Sweet 16 the next, is Ohio State’s athletic department going to be patient with Diebler?
Its fans, who packed the Schottenstein Center on Sunday but likely won’t do the same against USC on Wednesday, may not be willing to wait.