Uncut: Diebler reacts to upsetting No. 2 Purdue in first game as interim head coach

Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Following an unexpected and unlikely upset win over No. 2 Purdue, Ohio State interim head coach Jake Diebler spoke to the media about the win, how his team came together, and what he was thinking before and during the game. We also spoke to Purdue head coach Matt Painter, as well as Bruce Thornton and Jamison Battle, who combined to score 41 points

Painter was first and said that his team’s turnovers have been a consistent trend in the three games they have lost this year. He gave credit to Zed Key, who had five steals, but said that it was, “Something that really has not happened to Zach (Edey) this year.”

He also said that if Chris Holtmann wasn’t fired, Ohio State still would have won the game by the exact same score.

Thornton talked about how Diebler’s hands were “shaking” at the beginning of the game, but that the win was all about getting results from weeks and weeks of work that he felt they very much deserved. Battle said the most important thing is to not look at the past and just take every day as its own challenge.

Diebler made sure not to get choked up, but said his guys came together this week, “In a way nobody anticipated in a very short time.”

Like Painter, Diebler also gave kudos to Key for his defense against Edey, and said, “Bruce Thornton was not going to let us lose this game.”

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