Due to disappointing results on the court and the inherent nature of the cavernous Schottenstein Center, there have been a multitude of dull environments for Ohio State home hoops games in recent years. That was not the case on Saturday.
Buckeye basketball fans were granted a weekend home game against a basketball blueblood in UCLA and delivered accordingly, packing the Schott and raising the energy and intensity level as Ohio State rolled to an 86-74 win. But he wants to see it return to similar levels against Minnesota on Tuesday.
"I certainly think the energy in the Schott played a factor in being able to stretch some good possessions into another good (one) or two," Diebler said during his press conference on Monday. "I think our guys were flying around the court, that was great. It was great to have the Nuthouse back, that plays a role. But we need the same thing for tomorrow night. ... I get it, we have the biggest venue, so that presents challenges. But when there's Buckeye fans in the building, the passion and energy we have, I think, rivals any fan base in the country."
The Golden Gophers might only hold a 10-8 record on the season, but they've played much better basketball in January. Minnesota knocked off then-No. 19 Iowa on the road on Jan. 6, and lost by just one possession to both Wisconsin and USC the following week, even if it is fresh off a 10-point loss on the road to No. 11 Illinois. An Ohio State win would mark its first set of back-to-back victories in Big Ten play.
"You look at their last five, six games, they're playing really well," Diebler said of Minnesota. "A couple ranked wins, down to the wire on the road. So, really good team, a lot of respect for them, certainly. Big opportunity, like I've said. It's a big opportunity for us tomorrow night."
Senior small forward Cade Tyson presents the biggest challenge, a bona fide three-level scorer averaging 20.8 points per game, shooting 50.2% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range.
"His motor off the ball is really good," Diebler said of Tyson. "They run some really good actions, create advantages for him. He's posting the ball some, going to the offensive glass, he's playing at a really high level."
Diebler dove into Ohio State's matchup with Minnesota, the growing leadership of his locker room, Devin Royal's improvements at small forward and much more in his latest press conference, which you can watch at the top of the page.
