Twice this year, Ohio State has come back from a 15-point deficit to win a basketball game.
The first time came in December against West Virginia, and the second on Friday at Rutgers. Having the heart to battle back in such contests is a staple of the culture Jake Diebler has been trying to instill and he appreciated his team's "fight" vs. the Scarlet Knights, but better starts to avoid such massive holes are a top priority for the team. He broke it down in his press conference with Buckeye media on Sunday.
"There's a no-quit, fight-to-the-end mentality on this team, and I think our veterans help lead that," Diebler said. "They've played a lot of basketball, and as long as you fight you've got a chance. And so our guys have done that. Now, what we've got to do a better job of is not being in that situation. And we had some breakdowns defensively that we specifically practiced not to do against Rutgers, and we've got to address that. That's on us. If we handle our business in those situations, I don't think that deficit gets to that level."
Bench production is another talking point for Ohio State, as Diebler wants more aggressive play from his backups, especially Brandon Noel, after he showed his ability with a 14-point outing against Rutgers. Gabe Cupps and Taison Chatman were also main conversation points in terms of the bench.
Diebler also delved into the zone defense the Buckeyes deployed to great second-half success against the Scarlet Knights, while previewing their upcoming matchup with undefeated No. 13 Nebraska, which is fresh off a win over No. 9 Michigan State. A top-10-caliber team heading to Value City Arena presents a massive opportunity for his squad as January marches on.
Check out all of what Diebler had to say on these topics and more in the video at the top of the page.
