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Thad Matta (OSU's All Time Winningest Coach & 3x B1G COY, Butler HC)

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Under Matta, Buckeyes rise to prominence
By Nick Otte
[email protected]
Published: Tuesday, January 18, 2011

David Lighty, now in his fifth year at Ohio State, has seen just about all there is to see as a college basketball player.

He's played in a National Championship Game; he's won a National Invitation Tournament title; he's won the Big Ten twice; he's played alongside six NBA first-round draft picks; and his 113 wins are the most of any Buckeye basketball player in history.

His four-plus years and, going back a little further, coach Thad Matta's more than six seasons in Columbus, have provided the Buckeye basketball program with a consistent level of success that the school hasn't seen since the 1960s.

And although OSU is, was and may always be a football school, the basketball program is catching up.

"Hopefully they're looking at it as on the uprise," Lighty said of the public's perception of OSU basketball. "When you're Ohio State, of course everyone thinks of the Horseshoe and the great football tradition, but I think it's kind of starting to become a dual-sport school."

Obviously, the basketball program isn't yet on par with a football program that has won seven national championships and remains a perennial title contender year in and year out. But there is no denying Matta's success.

When Matta took over the program in 2004, OSU was under NCAA investigation for violations that occurred under former coach Jim O'Brien. The Buckeyes were just 14-16 the year before Matta took over, and when OSU implemented a self-imposed post-season ban for the 2004-05 season. It seemed like a long road for the new coach to restore a once-prominent program.

Matta, however, wasted no time.

Despite being ineligible for postseason play in Matta's first season with the program, his Buckeyes grabbed the entire nation's attention when they upset unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Illinois in the final game of the regular season. The following year, OSU went 26-6 and earned the first of Matta's now-three Big Ten Championships.

Now in Matta's seventh season as OSU's coach, his Buckeyes are off to an 18-0 start, the school's best since 1962, and have ascended to No. 1 in The Associated Press and NCAA/USA Today coaches' polls.

"I think that, when I came here seven years ago, our goal was to build a Top 10 college basketball program," Matta said. "Not that you're going to win the thing every year, but be in the hunt. I'm pleased with where we are."

Cont...
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http://www.thelantern.com/sports/under-matta-buckeyes-rise-to-prominence-1.1880560
 
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Front page of ESPN's NCAA-BB page:

ncb_a_tmadda_sy_576.jpg


Was moving the students really so flippin' hard?! Should have had this in place the day the ink dried on the LOIs of the Thad Five.

Next step, push the blue-hairs a bit further back and pack in MORE STUDENTS!!!

Zubaz & Matta-heads-on-sticks for everybody. Pass them out at orientation!
 
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Jake;1861572; said:
Dookie V rightfully praising Thad for keeping the Bucks in the upper echelon year after year despite losing guys early to the NBA year after year.
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but right before that Dickie:crazy: showed his true colors by saying that Bill Self should be the coach of the year because he has lost so many players from last year's team.
 
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Opinion Poll...

Thad Matta will:

A. Be At OSU for a long time and be an OSU basketball Icon (i.e. like Coach K, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boehiem are for their respective schools)

B. Will leave at some point for NBA head coaching Job

C. Will leave OSU for a higher profile NCAA gig at some point (Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, UNC etc.)
 
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A.

He is not an elite basketball coach, he is an elite recruiter. He has certainly made strides as a coach, but I would not want him to coach up my mercenaries in the league.

He has made OSU an extremely high profile bball school without the repercussions. He locks down Ohio and plucks a few other Midwest kids and continues to get first round talent and players of the year. I think it is easier to recruit this much talent at OSU in some ways.

Most importantly, when he recruits too well and has many early departures, the fans still love him because they do not define their happiness by round bball results. Until they change the one and done rule this is a big asset.
 
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ShakerBuck;1869001; said:
Opinion Poll...

Thad Matta will:

A. Be At OSU for a long time and be an OSU basketball Icon (i.e. like Coach K, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boehiem are for their respective schools)

B. Will leave at some point for NBA head coaching Job

C. Will leave OSU for a higher profile NCAA gig at some point (Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, UNC etc.)
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A- I hope. I'm not sure if he has any interest in the NBA. I don't know why anyone would leave a high paying lifetime college job for a few years in the NBA.
I don't see him going to another college program either. OSU has as much money as any other school so it isn't like he is going to get a better deal. He can basically be the Woody of OSU basketball if he stays his whole career. For as great of a coach as JT is Woody will always be #1.
 
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