Report: Chris Holtmann, OSU Part Ways; Buckeyes Have 4-10 Record in Big Ten Play

Amid the ongoing struggles of the 2023-24 season, the Ohio State men's basketball team reportedly made a major change.

According to basketball analyst Jeff Goodman, the Buckeyes have parted ways with head coach Chris Holtmann on Wednesday. The team is 14-11 and ranks second-to-last in the Big Ten with a 4-10 conference record.

Ohio State started the season with a 12-2 record before taking a freefall down the standings with nine losses in its last 11 games. Holtmann's departure came after the Buckeyes lost to No. 20 Wisconsin 62-54 on Tuesday.

In the wake of Holtmann's departure, Goodman noted that Xavier's Sean Miller and South Carolina's Lamont Paris are "likely" to be on Ohio State's list of potential replacements.

Holtmann joined Ohio State in 2017 as the replacement for Thad Matta, who had been the team's head coach since 2004. It initially looked like a brilliant hire, as Holtmann led the Buckeyes to 20-win seasons in each of his first five years with the team. They made four NCAA Tournaments and would've qualified for a fifth if it wasn't canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Holtmann never got the team past the Round of 32.

Things took a turn last season when Ohio State went 16-19 and 5-15 in the Big Ten, failing to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in Holtmann's tenure. It appears that the Buckeyes are on their way to a second straight year without March Madness, which prompted Wednesday's move.

Holtmann ends his tenure at Ohio State with a 137-84 record in six-plus seasons. He didn't fare as well in conference play, compiling a 67-63 record in the Big Ten. Prior to joining the Buckeyes, he made a name for himself at Butler as he guided the team to three straight NCAA Tournament berths.

As Ohio State trudges toward another lost season, the university will now have to find the right person to try to lead the program back to prominence.