"Valentine’s Day breakup is the worst": Chris Holtmann's firing triggers wild reactions from College hoops world as Ohio State hunts for new HC
Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball coach Chris Holtmann has been fired, the school announced Wednesday. Associate head coach Jake Diebler will serve as the Buckeyes' interim head coach for the rest of the season.
Holtmann was in charge of the Buckeyes for almost seven years and was considered one of college basketball's best coaches. He took the Buckeyes to four consecutive March Madness tournaments, and had an overall record of 137-86.
However, this season has been tough for the Buckeyes, and on Tuesday night, they lost 62-54 to the No. 20 Wisconsin Badgers. This is their ninth loss in 11 games, leaving them second to last in the Big Ten, with a 4-10 record.
The firing led to a host of reactions from college basketball fans.
"Valentine’s Day breakup is the worst," a fan wrote.
The general takeaway from the college basketball world is that this is a cause for celebration. Ohio State fans are happy that Chris Holtmann has been fired after seeing their team struggling week in and week out.
This season, they have an overall record of 14-11, but in college basketball, the in-conference record (the win/loss record a team has against the other teams in its conference) is far more important to a team's success.
The Buckeyes have an in-conference record of 4-10, putting them near the bottom of the standing. Additionally, they have lost their last 17 road games, a college record.
This run of bad performances will be associated with Chris Holtman. After this poor form, the Buckeyes may not have had any choice but to fire him.
Read Chris Holtmann contract buyout: How much Ohio State owes recently fired HC?
Ohio State issue statement on Chris Holtmann's exit
Ohio State athletics director Gene Smith released a statement on Wednesday.
"I want to express my appreciation toward Chris for the first-class program, and the well-respected program, he has run here at Ohio State," Smith said. "He and his wife, Lori, are wonderful people. I thank each of them for their seven years here in Columbus, and I wish them well."
The Buckeyes will have a new athletic director in July, but the school wants Ross Bjork to begin an interim role starting March 1, per ESPN. Bjork will spearhead OSU basketball's search for a new coach.
Read: Why was Chris Holtmann fired? Exploring possible factors that led to Ohio State HC removal