Why Jake Diebler wasn't satisfied with Ohio State basketball program record-breaking win

Ohio State Buckeyes passed their first test on Monday night against IU Indy. However, they are still a work in progress.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler gathers his team for a timeout during the NCAA preseason exhibition game against the Ohio Bobcats at Value City Arena in Columbus on Oct. 26, 2025. Ohio State won 103-74. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On a night where a program record was broken and a win was secured for the Ohio State Buckeyes, there were still lots to ponder.

The Buckeyes beat IU Indy 118-102 in their opener on Monday night and dazzled fans inside the Value City Arena with uptempo, run-and-gun basketball that was breathtaking to watch.

Christoph Tilly led the way with 28 points on his debut, with Buckeyes veteran Bruce Thornton going for 26.

COAST. TO. COAST.

📺 B1G+ pic.twitter.com/BNxWiGCXcT

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 4, 2025

To add, the 118 points they put on the board set a new program record for most points in a season opener.

“This is a style that's very familiar to me because this is how I was raised, playing this type of up-tempo, trapping the whole time, spreading guys out, shooting a lot of threes,” Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler said.

So, what was the problem, and why was there so much to contemplate?

While Ohio State shot 63 percent from the field, using its overwhelming size and speed advantage to create scoring opportunities. They allowed too many easy looks with little to no rim protection from the frontcourt.

Playing against a team that prides itself on movement and cutting to the basket for easy layups, Ohio State made an error of doubling the ballhandler, which allowed IU Indy to pass out of the double, allowing for easy scores. It was one of the reasons why they hung around for so long.

Even with towering 7-footers Tilly and Ivan Njegovan on the floor, the defense was disjointed, with little communication, allowing IU Indy to get it to within 10 points in the second half before the Buckeyes pulled away.

A win’s a win, but with IU Indy shooting 50 percent themselves from the field and getting some good looks against a strong Buckeyes side on paper, there is room for improvement, especially on the defensive end.

Winning over everything. Keep building 🗣️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/keDqOwCE18

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 4, 2025

“I think the 50 percent stands out,” Diebler admits after being asked about his side’s defense, having conceded 102 points in 82 possessions.

“Only six steals stand out right away. They only had 13 turnovers. They made some tough shots. Like, there were some kind of mid-range, floaters in the paint that we challenged, and they banked a couple in.

“So, I think on the flip side of playing in a system like that, you get so much opportunity to just stay aggressive, and all of a sudden you can get it going real quick.

“So defensively, the field goal percentage, 50 percent, is obviously not good enough, and then I think we’ve got to get more deflections. We’ve got to be more active, pressure a little bit more defensively.”

However, Ohio State passed the first test. They didn’t pass it with flying colors though, and are certainly a long way from being labeled a Tournament team.