Holtmann, Bates-Diop claim Big Ten awards

Ohio State forward Keita Bates-Diop, center, helped OSU to a 15-3 record in Big Ten play.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBUS — Ohio State claimed the Big Ten awards for men’s basketball player and coach of the year Monday.

The conference announced Chris Holtmann was named its top coach, and Buckeyes forward Keita Bates-Diop won player of the year honors.

Bates-Diop averaged 19.2 points and 8.9 rebounds on the season, both of which rank second in the conference.

The redshirt junior is Ohio State’s first conference player of the year since Evan Turner in 2010. Bates-Diop also was announced as a first-team All-Big Ten choice.

Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann won conference coach of the year in his first season in Columbus.

Holtmann won coach of the year in his first season at OSU. The Buckeyes — who were widely expected to go through a period of rebuilding after firing former coach Thad Matta — finished the regular season with a 24-7 record, including a 15-3 mark in Big Ten play.

The coach of the year honor marks the third conference in which Holtmann has won the award. Before coming to OSU, Holtmann also won the award at Butler (Big East) and Gardner-Webb (Big South).

Ohio State is ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press poll that was released Monday and holds the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament, which starts Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. OSU will play either Penn State or Northwestern in a Big Ten quarterfinal Friday.

Mortiz Wagner of Michigan and OSU’s Jae’Sean Tate were second-team selections.

Michigan’s Duncan Robinson was announced as the league’s sixth man of the year. The senior is averaging 9.3 points per game and leads the Wolverines with 61 3-pointers.

The No. 15 Wolverines will play either Illinois or Iowa on Thursday to open Big Ten tournament play.

Contact Nicholas Piotrowicz at: npiotrowicz@theblade.com, 419-724-6110, or on Twitter @NickPiotrowicz.