Ohio State's NCAA Tournament hopes teeter precariously. HC Jake Diebler's future hangs in the balance as crucial games determine his return.
Following an 86-69 win over then-No. 24 Wisconsin on Feb. 17, Ohio State finished the month of February with two losses to Michigan State and Iowa.
The Buckeyes will next face No. 8 Purdue at home on Sunday before finishing the regular season against Penn State on the road on Wednesday and at home against a 17-11 Indiana team on March 7.
Before playing Purdue, OSU has a 17-11 overall record and is 9-8 in Big Ten play, ninth in the conference.
It would be an understatement to say the Buckeyes are on the bubble before the Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State is expected to make runs in the NCAA Tournament, and it's fair to wonder if head coach Jake Diebler will return next season.
Diebler is 42-28 during his time at Ohio State. He hasn't made the NCAA Tournament with the team.
Per Jeff Borzello of ESPN, the Buckeyes are not expected to fire Diebler. However, things could change if Ohio State isn't competitive at the end of the season and Big Ten Tournament.
"It's only two years into Jake Diebler's tenure in Columbus, but the Buckeyes are squarely on the cutline for the NCAA tournament," Borzello wrote. "If they don't hear their name on Selection Sunday, that will be two years without a tournament appearance for Diebler, four years for the program as a whole.
"The latest word out of Columbus is that he's probably safe for another season, but that could depend on what happens over the next three weeks. The school would be on the hook for just over $3 million."
Earlier this week, Diebler said he was hopeful Ohio State would "turn the corner" ahead of the Big Ten Tournament.
“I’m hopeful [and] prayerful that we’re going to turn the corner on some of this stuff here really, really soon,” Diebler said, via The Lantern. “And if we do that, we get everybody available and kind of moving in the same direction, watch out.”
Amid Ohio State's underwhelming season, rival Michigan sits atop the Big Ten with a 17-1 conference record and a No. 3 ranking before playing Iowa on Thursday.