Ohio State basketball: Holtmann has a chance to change narrative

The Ohio State basketball team has a favorable matchup in the Sweet 16 and Chris Holtmann now has a chance to change the narrative of this season.

At the end of the regular season, the Ohio State basketball team was one of the coldest teams in the country. They lost four of their final five games and they looked like they were going to get eaten up in March Madness. That changed after they beat Loyola Chicago.

Now, Chris Holtmann has a chance to flip the narrative. After beating Loyola Chicago in the first round, the Buckeyes now have a favorable matchup as far as two-seeds go against Villanova. Holtmann can now change this team into a dangerous one with another win on Sunday.

The Buckeyes have some of the best wins of any team in the NCAA Tournament. They beat Duke, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Seton Hall. All of those are tournament teams and are good teams. We know that this team has the capability of playing some really good basketball.

If Ohio State wins on Sunday, I believe that Holtmann deserves at least another year. I’ve been vocal with the fact that I think his time has run its course. That would change with a Sweet 16 appearance, something he has yet to do since he’s been in Columbus.

Holtmann would go from a coach that fans were calling to be fired so a coach that fans want to be extended. That’s how fine of a line this is. This game against Villanova is the biggest game of Holtmann’s career because it would be the first time that he could beat a team that he isn’t expected to beat in March.

A win would signal to the rest of the country that this team is dangerous as well. I haven’t decided if I think they will win or not, but it’s a good matchup. We’ll see what happens Sunday afternoon.