Michigan is getting the Ohio State basketball program's leftovers

The Ohio State basketball team decided to give the head coaching job to Jake Diebler. Michigan hired the other candidate Ohio State ultimately didn't want.
March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA;  Florida Atlantic Owls head coach Dusty May reacts against the
March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls head coach Dusty May reacts against the / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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After the season was over, the Ohio State basketball program decided they wanted to keep Jake Diebler as the head coach. What he did at the end of the season warranted him getting the job. The Buckeyes are still playing in the NIT and will host a third-round game on Tuesday.

The other candidate that the Buckeyes were considering was FAU coach Dusty May. May took the owls to the Final Four a season ago and led them to another NCAA Tournament appearance this season. Unfortunately, bad coaching down the stretch led them to a loss to Northwestern in overtime in the first round.

Over the weekend, it was announced that May had decided to leave FAU to join Michigan and be their new head coach. He signed a five-year contract with the Wolverines and cited the alumni's exuberance with the program as a reason for wanting to join.

Let's be honest about what happened; Michigan got the Ohio State basketball program's leftovers. Ohio State had talked with May early this month about taking the job. Once Diebler proved he was a capable head coach by taking the Buckeyes on a nice run at the end of the year, they no longer needed May.

Michigan decided that they did though. After some disastrous times with Juwann Howard, including him slapping another coach in the face, they needed to make a move. It seems the best they could do is the guy who came in second for the Ohio State job.

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Only time will tell which of the two programs ultimately makes the right hire. Both will be starting at the same time, so it will be interesting to chronicle their journeys. Diebler is getting some valuable work in the NIT right now while May and Michigan are sitting at home.