Despite severe sanctions, Buckeyes make statement
By
Tom Kensler
Denver Post Staff Writer
Ohio State's Thad Matta may not receive any votes for national coach of the year, but under the circumstances few have done a better job this season. Although a self-imposed, one-year ban will prohibit the Buckeyes from participating in either the NCAA Tournament or National Invitation Tournament, Matta has managed to keep his team focused and energized.
Ohio State was projected to finish as low as ninth in the Big Ten, but is 18-9 overall, 7-6 in league play for sixth.
"Attitude is one thing, knock on wood, that I haven't had to be concerned about," Matta said. "That's been a little bit of a surprise, with the announcement in December."
GetAd(22, 'box', 250, 250, '', '');
Anticipating sanctions stemming from an ongoing NCAA investigation, Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger enacted the self-imposed penalty. Ohio State hopes the program will be slapped with only a one-year ban on postseason play, in which case the Buckeyes could be eligible for the 2006 NCAA Tournament with five returning starters and a strong incoming recruiting class.
The NCAA began an investigation after it was revealed in June that in 1999 former coach Jim O'Brien gave $6,000 to a prospective recruit from Yugoslavia who never attended Ohio State because the NCAA ruled the player ineligible for accepting money from a European pro league. O'Brien was fired after he acknowledged the infraction.
Michigan coach Tommy Amaker has been impressed by the way Ohio State's players have "kept their heads up. The energy Coach Matta has brought to that program certainly comes through loud and clear."
Matta, 37, previously coached one season at Butler and then three at Xavier. His personal streak of reaching the NCAA Tournament every year will end. But the Buckeyes have a chance to continue his streak of reaching 20 victories in each season. Ohio State has three regular-season games remaining, including a March 6 home game against undefeated and top-ranked Illinois. The Buckeyes will play in the Big Ten Tournament.
Hall finalists named Coaches Jim Boeheim of Syracuse and Jim Calhoun of Connecticut were named this week as finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame, which has inducted mostly professional coaches and players in recent years. The 2005 class will be announced April 4 during the Final Four in St. Louis.
Sad turn of events Former Oklahoma player Brandon Foust was indicted recently for felony burglary in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, two months after leaving the Sooners.
Big things were expected of Foust, a 6-foot-6 sophomore who played high school basketball with OU point guard Drew Lavender.
Foust finished strong last season, with averages of 10.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in the last six games. But his playing time had diminished during the fall.
