GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 16: Coach Thad Matta of the Ohio State Buckeyes directs play against the Florida Gators November 16, 2010 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)From 2004 to 2017, Thad Matta brought the Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team to heights not enjoyed since the 1960s. Today, he’s returning to Value City Arena – but not as an ally.
Matta is in attendance for tonight’s Ohio State vs. Indiana game. The three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year is attending as Indiana’s associate athletic director.
Matta was one of the first and most prominent additions to the staff of Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson. The Hoosiers are 16-9 this season while the Buckeyes under fifth-year head coach Chris Holtmann are 16-7 and ranked No. 22 in the country.
But while Holtmann has done a good job of keeping the Buckeyes on the winning track during his tenure, he hasn’t taken them where Matta once did.
Greg Oden and Thad Matta both in the house tonight for Indiana vs Ohio State. #iubb pic.twitter.com/jLKhHR1SeX
— Jeff Rabjohns (@JeffRabjohns) February 21, 2022
Between 2004 and 2017, Thad Matta went 337-123 with a 150-78 record in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes won the regular season title five times, the Big Ten Tournament four times and won the NIT in 2008. He had at least 20 wins in each of his first 12 seasons as the head coach.
In 2007, Matta led the Buckeyes to the NCAA National Championship Game, losing to Florida. They made the Final Four again in 2012.
Unfortunately, the Buckeyes have not gone past the Round of 32 under either Matta or Chris Holtmann since 2013.
Will Thad Matta and the Hoosiers get a win over the Buckeyes tonight?
The game will be played on Fox Sports 1 at 7:00 p.m. EST.
