Ohio State's Jake Diebler on interim challenges, lobbies for on-the-bubble Buckeyes ahead of NCAA Tournament

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

The college basketball regular season has come to an end and many conference tournaments are underway or have already crowned a champion. Coaches and players across the nation now shift their focus to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

While UConn and other highly ranked teams, such as Houston, Purdue and Arizona, appear to be virtual locks for this year's tournament, several other teams, including Ohio State, remain on the bubble.

During a recent appearance on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich," Ohio State interim head coach Jake Diebler discussed the challenges both he and the players faced during the midseason coaching transition.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Head coach Jake Diebler of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts during a game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jersey Mike's Arena on March 10, 2024, in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

"My first thought was just my heart was broken for Holt and his family because I know, and I saw every day really for five years, just how much he poured into this program," Diebler responded to a question about his initial reaction to now-former Buckeyes head coach Chris Holtmann's departure.

Diebler then prioritized connecting with the athletes on the roster.

Ohio State interim head basketball coach Jake Diebler talks with guard Roddy Gayle Jr. during the game against Michigan State at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, on Feb. 25, 2024. (Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

"I think they were hurt, too. And what we did ... we met as a program that day and I just told them, ‘Listen guys, take the rest of this day,