The Ohio State basketball team secured an 80-72 victory over the Texas Longhorns on Monday night, marking Jake Diebler’s first win as head coach after officially removing his interim label. The Buckeyes led for most of the game and are now off to a strong 1-0 start with a solid neutral-site win.
While the win itself was the main takeaway, what stands out even more is how Diebler has transformed the team’s style of play. Under his leadership, Ohio State has shifted away from the slow, methodical half-court offense they’ve been known for in recent years. Diebler has injected a faster pace into their game, with an emphasis on three-point shooting.
Micah Parrish, a transfer from San Diego State, was key to the early success from beyond the arc, hitting two threes right out of the gate. He finished with 17 points, going 3-of-6 from three. Diebler’s influence is evident: the Buckeyes are now a team that plays with more pace, shoots more threes, and is willing to take risks offensively.
While it’s unlikely they’ll hit 50% of their threes every game, especially at the volume they attempted against Texas, the Buckeyes have shown they won’t shy away from taking those shots. Diebler has made it clear that he wants them to embrace the three-point shot as part of their modernized approach.
Another area where Diebler has made an impact is in rebounding. In contrast to recent years under Chris Holtmann, when Ohio State often struggled on the glass, the Buckeyes out-rebounded Texas in this game, showing a newfound emphasis on physicality and aggression in the paint.
With this victory and a new style of play, Jake Diebler has the Ohio State basketball team poised to compete at a higher level this season.
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