Ohio State coaching search narrowing, Dusty May, Jake Diebler top candidates
MINNEAPOLIS – The Ohio State men’s basketball coaching search is likely nearing its final stages.
As the Buckeyes try to continue their late-season push toward an NCAA Tournament berth, two candidates are receiving the most traction in the search. According to multiple sources, the two known leading candidates are Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May and Ohio State interim coach Jake Diebler.
The expectation is that things could wrap up on the search within the next week. There are multiple timelines in play. The transfer portal opens Monday, the day after the NCAA Tournament and the NIT fields are set, putting pressure on teams facing uncertain futures that are trying to retain players.
Then there’s the postseason itself. In an interview with The Dispatch in February, new Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said that the timing of when teams’ seasons end will play a role in when a hire can be finalized.
The Buckeyes play No. 2 seed Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday night with hopes of playing their way further into NCAA Tournament consideration. Since being promoted to interim coach on Feb. 14, Diebler has led Ohio State to a 6-1 record and taken the Buckeyes from a seemingly lost season to the edge of the March Madness picture. This is his first time as a head coach.
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May, in his sixth year as head coach of the Owls, has Florida Atlantic at 24-7 and preparing to open the American Athletic Conference Tournament on Friday. The Owls reached the Final Four last year and are projected as a No. 8 or 9 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
May has been on Ohio State’s radar for some time and has had multiple conversations with representatives for the program. Diebler is expected to formally interview for the job within the next week.
The Buckeyes have cast a wide net with Bjork helming the search with the assistance of Collegiate Sports Associates, the search firm that led to Ohio State hiring him from Texas A&M. Bjork, along with retiring athletic director Gene Smith, are in Minneapolis with the team for the Big Ten Tournament.
There is a push from multiple former players lobbying on behalf of former Ohio State player and assistant Chris Jent, who is currently an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers, The Dispatch has confirmed.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State basketball coach search has Dusty May, Jake Diebler at top
