WASHINGTON – Hours after head coach Thad Matta received a vote of confidence from Ohio State Athletics Director Gene Smith, the Buckeyes lost to Rutgers 66-57 Wednesday night in the first round of the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament.
Nigel Johnson scored 21 points and made all eight free throws as the 14th-seeded Scarlet Knights won back-to-back games after a six-game skid. Its third season in the Big Ten, it’s the first time Rutgers has won consecutive conference games.
Jae’Sean Tate scored 18 points for No. 11 seed Ohio State (17-15), which will miss the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. The Buckeyes did not make a field goal in the final 5:43.
Smith said in statement Wednesday that Matta, the most successful basketball coach in the school’s history, has job security despite a second consecutive disappointing season that will end with the Buckeyes missing the NCAA Tournament.
“While we are not currently where we aspire to be with our performance on the court, Thad understands better than anyone that component has to improve. I am confident in his leadership to return the program to the winning ways that we have all enjoyed during his 13-year tenure. We have had tremendous success with Thad as our basketball coach. His commitment to developing young men in a holistic way and running our program with the highest of integrity continue to be hallmarks of his leadership.” –OSU AD Gene Smith
Smith called Matta’s 337-122 record and five Big Ten titles “highly commendable.”