Report: Wichita State Targeting Former Buckeye Coach Thad Matta
There's a chance that former Ohio State head coach Thad Matta could be returning to the sidelines.
CBS Sports Basketball Insider Seth Davis is reporting that Matta is the top target at Wichita State, where the Shockers are expected to move on from current head coach Gregg Marshall by the end of this week. For what it's worth, 247 Sports Basketball Recruiting Analyst Brian Snow claims to have a "very well placed source" that says Matta would not be coaching the Shockers this year, but beyond that it's anyone's guess.
"If Wichita State parts ways with Gregg Marshall soon as expected," said Davis, "Thad Matta will be at the top of the replacement list. I am hearing the school would like him to start right away and coach this season if they can pull it off."
Matta hasn't coached college basketball since 2017 when he wrapped up his tenure in Columbus. He was the head man for the Buckeyes from 2005-2017, earning 337 wins along the way to become the program's all-time winningest coach. He also oversaw some of the most memorable moments in Buckeye basketball history. He led Ohio State to nine NCAA Tournaments (2006-2007, 2009-2015), five Big Ten regular season titles (2006, 2007, 2010-2012), four Big Ten tournament championships (2007, 2010, 2011 and 2013) and two Final Fours (2007, 2012).
Prior to leading the Buckeyes, Matta was also the head coach at Xavier and Butler from 2000-2004.
The Shockers appear to be looking for a new basketball coach after news came out on Tuesday evening that the school was ready to part ways with Gregg Marshall. On October 8, Wichita State opened an internal investigation into Marshall's coaching style after multiple reports of player abuse came to light.
In a report published by Stadium's Jeff Goodman, former Shockers forward Shaq Morris said "he was punched twice by coach Gregg Marshall during a 2015 practice. Marshall also allegedly choked assistant coach Kyle Lindsted during the 2016-17 season, three eyewitnesses told Stadium." Some of the other allegations in the linked report were quite disturbing. Stadium spoke with 36 former players and coaches about the allegations.
“In response to the allegations put forward in the media, I simply state unequivocally that I have never physically struck a player or colleague,” Marshall said back in October, a few days after the report was published. “Allegations claiming otherwise are false.”
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