Thad Matta
Encyclopedia
Thad Matta is an American college basketball
coach. He is the current head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball
team. He was hired as the 13th head coach in Ohio State history on July 7, 2004 after the school had fired previous coach Jim O'Brien. He is one of just two coaches nationally to post 20 or more wins in each of his first ten seasons as a head coach. Matta has led the Buckeyes to four Big Ten Conference
regular season championships, the 2007
, 2010 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
, and 2011
titles, a runner up finish in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
and the 2008 NIT Championship. Matta also tied the record for most wins by a first-year coach at Ohio State (20).
Bulldogs in three seasons after transferring from Southern Illinois University
as a sophomore. He led Butler in assists (100) and three-point field goal percentage (.433) in 1987–88 and in free-throw percentage in 1988-89 (.872). He served as a team co-captain (one of three Butler tri-captains that year on Barry Collier
's first team in 1989–90 and finished his career in sixth place on Butler's all-time list for free-throw percentage (.800). He earned a B.S. degree from Butler in 1990. Matta enjoyed his Butler career-high point total of 21 points against Xavier University
at the Cincinnati Gardens
March 2, 1989.
five times as an assistant under four different head coaches and in the postseason National Invitation Tournament
once.
Matta began his coaching career at Indiana State University
as a graduate assistant under head coach Tates Locke
in 1990–91. Matta served as an academic coordinator and administrative assistant at Butler
(1991–94) before moving into the full-time coaching ranks.
Matta took his first full-time assistant coaching position under Herb Sendek
at Miami University
(Ohio) in 1994-95 and helped Miami to a 23–7 record, a Mid-American Conference regular-season championship and a first-round win in the NCAA tournament.
The following year, Matta accepted a coaching position at Western Carolina University
under Phil Hopkins and helped the Catamounts to a 17–13 record, the school's first winning record in 10 years. Western Carolina captured the Southern Conference tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament. Matta returned to Miami under new head coach Charlie Coles in 1996-97 and helped the RedHawks to a 21–9 record, the MAC regular season and tournament championships and a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Matta rejoined Butler University's staff in 1997 and helped the Bulldogs to three-consecutive 20-win seasons. He established himself as one of the nation's best young coaching prospects during a six-year assistant coaching stint. In his three seasons as Barry Collier's top assistant, Butler compiled a 67–29 (.698) record, won two Midwestern Collegiate Conference tournament championships and one MCC regular-season title, made two NCAA tournament appearances and earned one NIT berth. He served as Butler's primary recruiter
.
when Barry Collier
left after the 1999–2000 season to coach at the University of Nebraska
. Matta was named 2000–01 Midwestern Collegiate Conference
Coach of the Year in his first and only season as head coach at Butler, after leading the Bulldogs
to a school record 24 wins. He was also named National "Rookie Coach of the Year" by CBS Sports
Line.com and College Insider.com.
Butler was 24–8 under Matta's direction that year with an 11-3 record and an MCC regular season championship, a MCC tournament championship and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Butler won 13 of its last 15 games. Eventual NCAA runner-up Arizona ended the Butler run in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
appearance in 2004 following two second-round trips. The three season totals of 26 wins are tied for the second-highest single-season win total in Xavier history with the 1987–88 team and trails only the 28 win 1989–90 "Sweet 16
" season.
Matta's 26 wins for the 2002–03 season marked the highest win total ever for a second-year Xavier head coach. He also broke the school record for most victories by a Xavier rookie head coach. Xavier's 26–6 record in the 2001–02 campaign set the record.
Matta was named 2002 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, while leading the Musketeers to the top regular season finish in the league at 14–2 and an Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament championship. In addition, Matta became the only first-year coach in conference history to ever win both the A-10 regular season and tourney championships.
in the regular-season finale at Value City Arena before a packed house and a national television audience. The Buckeyes' final record for the 2004–2005 campaign was 20–12, but were ineligible from postseason play.
In the 2005–2006 season Matta led the Buckeyes to an outright Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1992, finishing one game ahead of the University of Iowa
and the University of Illinois
. The Buckeyes season came to an end during the second round of the NCAA tournament when they lost to Georgetown University
on March 19, 2006. Their final overall record was 26–6. The Buckeyes were thought to be a year away from competing for the league crown, as they were to add a highly regarded recruiting class, dubbed the "Thad Five," led by center Greg Oden
of Lawrence North High School
in Indianapolis
for the 2006–2007 season. The Buckeyes did win the Big Ten and Matta led Ohio State all the way to the national championship game, where they lost to Florida.
In the 2007–2008 season, Matta's Buckeyes did not make the NCAA tournament. However, they won the 2008 NIT championship, despite playing with four new starters for the second consecutive year.
In 2009, Ohio State went to the NCAA Tournament, but were eliminated in the first round by Siena. In 2010, the Buckeyes won a share of the Big Ten and the 2010 conference tournament title. In the NCAA tournament they beat UC-Santa Barbara in the first round 68-51. The next round they beat Georgia Tech 75-66, but went on to lose to Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
In the 2010-2011 season, Matta's Buckeyes were 29-2, ranked #1 in all polls (16-2 in conference play), and won the outright Big Ten Championship. The Buckeyes beat Penn State on March 13 to win their 2nd consecutive Big Ten Tournament title. The Buckeyes were the overall number one seed in the 2011 NCAA tournament and the number one seed in the Eastern bracket, where the Buckeyes won two games in Cleveland before losing to eventual Eastern regional champion Kentucky
.
and Butler University
. Sean Miller
worked for Matta for three years at Xavier and was hired as head coach when Matta left, then took the head coaching job at University of Arizona. The success of Matta's staff at Ohio State was acknowledged by Ohio University
in 2008, when former Buckeyes Associate Head Coach John Groce
was chosen to lead that program. In 2010, former Buckeyes assistant coach Alan Major
, who had also worked with Matta at Xavier, was named the head coach at Charlotte
. In 2011, Sean's brother Archie Miller
, another former Ohio State assistant, got the job at the University of Dayton
.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach. He is the current head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball
Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball
The Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
team. He was hired as the 13th head coach in Ohio State history on July 7, 2004 after the school had fired previous coach Jim O'Brien. He is one of just two coaches nationally to post 20 or more wins in each of his first ten seasons as a head coach. Matta has led the Buckeyes to four Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
regular season championships, the 2007
2007 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
-External links:*...
, 2010 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
2010 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2010 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament was played Thursday, March 11 through Sunday, March 14 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. All 10 games aired nationally on ESPN, ESPN2, the Big Ten Network and CBS Sports. ESPN2 carried the first two games on Thursday and the Big Ten...
, and 2011
2011 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2011 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament was held from March 10 through March 13 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. All 10 games were aired nationally on ESPN, ESPN2, the Big Ten Network and CBS Sports. ESPN2 carried the first two games on Thursday and the Big Ten Network aired...
titles, a runner up finish in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
and the 2008 NIT Championship. Matta also tied the record for most wins by a first-year coach at Ohio State (20).
Playing career
A basketball standout for the Cornjerkers at Hoopeston-East Lynn High School in Hoopeston, IL, Matta was a two-year starter for the Butler UniversityButler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
Bulldogs in three seasons after transferring from Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1869, SIUC is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system...
as a sophomore. He led Butler in assists (100) and three-point field goal percentage (.433) in 1987–88 and in free-throw percentage in 1988-89 (.872). He served as a team co-captain (one of three Butler tri-captains that year on Barry Collier
Barry Collier (basketball coach)
Barry Collier is an American former college basketball coach. He is currently the athletic director at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was previously head men's basketball coach at Butler and at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.-References:...
's first team in 1989–90 and finished his career in sixth place on Butler's all-time list for free-throw percentage (.800). He earned a B.S. degree from Butler in 1990. Matta enjoyed his Butler career-high point total of 21 points against Xavier University
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
at the Cincinnati Gardens
Cincinnati Gardens
The Cincinnati Gardens is an indoor sports and entertainment arena located in Cincinnati, Ohio, that opened in 1949. The 25,000 square foot brick and limestone building, whose entrance is decorated with six three-dimensional carved athletic figures, was modeled after Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto,...
March 2, 1989.
Early coaching years
In total, Matta spent six seasons as a full-time assistant coach at three different universities, helping his squads compile a composite 128–58 (.688) record and make six postseason tournament appearances. Matta attributes much of his success to the 4 seasons he coached under central Illinois legend Jeff Butler. He was on the bench in five-consecutive conference tournament championship games and won four league tournament championship rings. He was in the NCAA tournamentNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
five times as an assistant under four different head coaches and in the postseason National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
once.
Matta began his coaching career at Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
as a graduate assistant under head coach Tates Locke
Tates Locke
Tates Locke is an American professional basketball coach.Locke coached the Buffalo Braves for half a season in 1976-77, before being replaced by Bob MacKinnon. Prior to his Buffalo experience, Locke coached for West Point, where he hired a young assistant coach named Bobby Knight. Knight would...
in 1990–91. Matta served as an academic coordinator and administrative assistant at Butler
Butler Bulldogs men's basketball
The Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team represents Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Horizon League, of which it has been a member since 1979...
(1991–94) before moving into the full-time coaching ranks.
Matta took his first full-time assistant coaching position under Herb Sendek
Herb Sendek
Herbert J. Sendek is an American college basketball coach and the current men's basketball coach at Arizona State University.-Background:Sendek was formally introduced as the ASU head coach on April 3, 2006....
at Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
(Ohio) in 1994-95 and helped Miami to a 23–7 record, a Mid-American Conference regular-season championship and a first-round win in the NCAA tournament.
The following year, Matta accepted a coaching position at Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....
under Phil Hopkins and helped the Catamounts to a 17–13 record, the school's first winning record in 10 years. Western Carolina captured the Southern Conference tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament. Matta returned to Miami under new head coach Charlie Coles in 1996-97 and helped the RedHawks to a 21–9 record, the MAC regular season and tournament championships and a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Matta rejoined Butler University's staff in 1997 and helped the Bulldogs to three-consecutive 20-win seasons. He established himself as one of the nation's best young coaching prospects during a six-year assistant coaching stint. In his three seasons as Barry Collier's top assistant, Butler compiled a 67–29 (.698) record, won two Midwestern Collegiate Conference tournament championships and one MCC regular-season title, made two NCAA tournament appearances and earned one NIT berth. He served as Butler's primary recruiter
Recruiter
A recruiter is someone engaging in recruitment, or the solicitation of individuals to fill jobs or positions within a corporation, nonprofit organization, sports team, the military, etc. Recruiters may work within an organization's human resources department or on an outsourced basis...
.
Butler
Matta took over as head coach of ButlerButler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
when Barry Collier
Barry Collier (basketball coach)
Barry Collier is an American former college basketball coach. He is currently the athletic director at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was previously head men's basketball coach at Butler and at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.-References:...
left after the 1999–2000 season to coach at the University of Nebraska
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
. Matta was named 2000–01 Midwestern Collegiate Conference
Horizon League
The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States....
Coach of the Year in his first and only season as head coach at Butler, after leading the Bulldogs
Butler Bulldogs
All but one of Butler University's 19 intercollegiate teams compete in the Horizon League, along with Cleveland State, Detroit, Green Bay, Loyola, Milwaukee, UIC, Valparaiso, Wright State and Youngstown State...
to a school record 24 wins. He was also named National "Rookie Coach of the Year" by CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
Line.com and College Insider.com.
Butler was 24–8 under Matta's direction that year with an 11-3 record and an MCC regular season championship, a MCC tournament championship and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Butler won 13 of its last 15 games. Eventual NCAA runner-up Arizona ended the Butler run in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Xavier
At Xavier, Matta led the Musketeers to three-consecutive 26-win seasons, back-to-back Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season championships in 2002 and 2003 and two league tournament titles in 2002 and 2004. Xavier advanced to three NCAA tournaments, including an Elite EightElite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
appearance in 2004 following two second-round trips. The three season totals of 26 wins are tied for the second-highest single-season win total in Xavier history with the 1987–88 team and trails only the 28 win 1989–90 "Sweet 16
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
" season.
Matta's 26 wins for the 2002–03 season marked the highest win total ever for a second-year Xavier head coach. He also broke the school record for most victories by a Xavier rookie head coach. Xavier's 26–6 record in the 2001–02 campaign set the record.
Matta was named 2002 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, while leading the Musketeers to the top regular season finish in the league at 14–2 and an Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament championship. In addition, Matta became the only first-year coach in conference history to ever win both the A-10 regular season and tourney championships.
Ohio State
Matta, a finalist for the 2002–03 Naismith National Coach of the Year Award, began his duties in Columbus on July 7, 2004. No time was wasted preparing for his first season in Columbus, which culminated in a 65–64 victory over undefeated and top-ranked IllinoisUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in the regular-season finale at Value City Arena before a packed house and a national television audience. The Buckeyes' final record for the 2004–2005 campaign was 20–12, but were ineligible from postseason play.
In the 2005–2006 season Matta led the Buckeyes to an outright Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1992, finishing one game ahead of the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. The Buckeyes season came to an end during the second round of the NCAA tournament when they lost to Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
on March 19, 2006. Their final overall record was 26–6. The Buckeyes were thought to be a year away from competing for the league crown, as they were to add a highly regarded recruiting class, dubbed the "Thad Five," led by center Greg Oden
Greg Oden
Gregory Wayne Oden, Jr. is an American basketball player at the center position. Oden is a member of the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA....
of Lawrence North High School
Lawrence North High School
Lawrence North High School is a public high school in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is located at 7802 North Hague Road on the northeast side of the city. It is one of two high schools serving grades nine through twelve in the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township. The 2006–07 enrollment...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
for the 2006–2007 season. The Buckeyes did win the Big Ten and Matta led Ohio State all the way to the national championship game, where they lost to Florida.
In the 2007–2008 season, Matta's Buckeyes did not make the NCAA tournament. However, they won the 2008 NIT championship, despite playing with four new starters for the second consecutive year.
In 2009, Ohio State went to the NCAA Tournament, but were eliminated in the first round by Siena. In 2010, the Buckeyes won a share of the Big Ten and the 2010 conference tournament title. In the NCAA tournament they beat UC-Santa Barbara in the first round 68-51. The next round they beat Georgia Tech 75-66, but went on to lose to Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
In the 2010-2011 season, Matta's Buckeyes were 29-2, ranked #1 in all polls (16-2 in conference play), and won the outright Big Ten Championship. The Buckeyes beat Penn State on March 13 to win their 2nd consecutive Big Ten Tournament title. The Buckeyes were the overall number one seed in the 2011 NCAA tournament and the number one seed in the Eastern bracket, where the Buckeyes won two games in Cleveland before losing to eventual Eastern regional champion Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
.
Successful former assistants
Coaches who worked for Matta at Butler have been hired for head coaching positions at University of IowaTodd Lickliter
Todd Lickliter is a basketball coach. He was the head coach of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and Butler University Bulldogs men's basketball team. In 2011 he became an assistant coach at Miami .-Early years:...
and Butler University
Brad Stevens
Brad Stevens is an American college basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head men's basketball coach at Butler University. He grew up in Zionsville, Indiana, where he starred on the Zionsville Community High School basketball team, setting four school records...
. Sean Miller
Sean Miller
Sean Miller is an American college basketball coach, and currently the head men's basketball coach at the University of Arizona.-Early years:...
worked for Matta for three years at Xavier and was hired as head coach when Matta left, then took the head coaching job at University of Arizona. The success of Matta's staff at Ohio State was acknowledged by Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
in 2008, when former Buckeyes Associate Head Coach John Groce
John Groce
John Groce is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Ohio University men's basketball team...
was chosen to lead that program. In 2010, former Buckeyes assistant coach Alan Major
Alan Major
Alan Major is the head coach of the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team. Before being named coach of the 49ers, Major spent nine years working with Thad Matta at Ohio State and Xavier universities. He is a 1992 graduate of Purdue.Major served as a student manager under Gene Keady during his...
, who had also worked with Matta at Xavier, was named the head coach at Charlotte
Charlotte 49ers men's basketball
The Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team represents UNC Charlotte in the Atlantic 10 Conference.-Coaches:-Coaching staff:-Professional Players:The following Charlotte basketball players appeared in at least one game in the NBA:*Cedric Ball...
. In 2011, Sean's brother Archie Miller
Archie Miller
Archie Miller was a United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Philippine–American War July 2, 1909. Lieutenant Miller defended a machine gun from capture by the enemy. He later rose to Lieutenant Colonel....
, another former Ohio State assistant, got the job at the University of Dayton
Dayton Flyers men's basketball
The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Ten Conference representing the University of Dayton. They are known for a rivalry with Xavier University, playing for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy each year.-History:The...
.