Rating the Ohio State basketball team's chances in the NIT

The Ohio State basketball team won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament this year. Their big push at the end of the year fell short when they lost to Illinois on Friday in the Big Ten Tournament. To even get to that point is a testament to what Jake Diebler was able to do with this team.

Diebler was rewarded by getting the interim tag lifted and he is now the new head coach of the Ohio State basketball program moving forward. His first act as the coach will be playing in the NIT after the Buckeyes accepted a bid and received a two-seed in the tournament.

The Buckeyes will host a game against Cornell on Tuesday on ESPN at 7 pm. If they win that game, they will take on the winner of Virginia Tech and Richmond. This will give them a chance to continue their hot play and see if they can finish the season with even more momentum than before.

Do the Buckeyes have a shot to win the NIT? They haven't won the tournament since 2007. Looking at the bracket, they definitely have a shot if they keep playing like they have since Diebler took over. Foul trouble is what did them in against the Illini, and that was mostly bad officiating.

Winning the NIT would be a good start to Diebler's career as the full-time head coach. It would also help improve what he can do in recruiting. Incoming recruits Collin White and Juni Mobley have both said they are staying with their commitment to the Buckeyes, so that's great news.

Moving forward, Diebler will be expected to get this team back to the NCAA Tournament every year. He understands that. It's up to him to get the recruits in that are needed to make that happen.