Ryan Day isn’t the only head coach at Ohio State feeling some pressure right now. Buckeyes basketball coach Chris Holtmann is under fire now too.
Yesterday the Buckeyes lost on the road to arch-rival Michigan, falling 73-65. That loss marked the Buckeyes’ third defeat in a row.
Last year the Buckeyes suffered two lengthy losing streaks that caused them to go 1-14 in a 15-game stretch. But Holtmann is optimistic that their current skid is different.
“All the numbers would suggest it’s much different than last year,” Holtmann said, via On3. “The quality of our games, even the ones we’ve lost here? The quality of play has been much better than the stretch we were in last year.”
“Obviously, it’s an end-result game. We’ve got to figure out how to finish out. At the end of the day, our play has been significantly better than that stretch.”
Buckeyes fall in Ann Arbor.
OSU: 65
TTUN: 73Back in action Jan. 20 🆚 Penn State at 12 PM ET in the @TheSchott pic.twitter.com/Zej138QCKR
— Ohio State Hoops 🌰 (@OhioStateHoops) January 15, 2024
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The 2022-23 season marked the first time in Chris Holtmann’s career that the Buckeyes missed the NCAA Tournament. That 1-14 stretch doomed them a 13th place finish in the Big Ten and no shot at March Madness.
At 12-5 on the season, the Buckeyes likely need at least nine and maybe 10 more wins in their conference in order to secure an at-large bid.
Failing that, Holtmann might not make it to 2025 as the head coach at Ohio State…