O’Brien Tabbed Big Ten Coach of the Year – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/1/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 1, 1999
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State head coach Jim O’Brien was selected by the Big Ten media as the Coach of the Year in the Big Ten. O’Brien has now won similar league awards in the Atlantic 10 at St. Bonaventure, the BIG EAST at Boston College and now the Big Ten after guiding the Buckeyes in just his second season to a No. 2 Big Ten finish, a 22-7 overall record and a Big Ten mark of 12-4. O’Brien will be guiding his eighth team into the postseason and his fourth to NCAA Tournament play. O’Brien is the fourth OSU coach to earn Big Ten accolades. Randy Ayers won the honor twice in 1991 and 1992 and Eldon Miller in 1983.
O’Brien was Atlantic 10 co-Coach of the Year (West Division) in 1992 after a 10-4 record in the league and a 20-10 record overall. He also was named Basketball Times National Rookie Coach of the Year that season. The Bonnies advanced to the NIT, his first as a Division I head coach.
O’Brien then earned BIG EAST co-Coach of the Year in 1995-96 after guiding the Eagles to a 19-11 record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
On a national level, O’Brien was the NABC Division I Coach of the Year in 1991-92 (17-14, NIT 2nd round) and in 1992-93 (18-13, NIT 3rd round).
Media vote Penn Big Ten Player of the Year.
Buckeye junior point guard Scoonie Penn was selected by the Big Ten Media as their choice for the Big Ten Player of the Year and to the Big Ten First Team by both coaches and media.
Penn has now won a major conference award in every season he as played at the collegiate level. As a freshman at Boston College he was selected the Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore he was the Big East Tournament MVP.
Penn gained the Big Ten honor after sitting out last season after transferring to Ohio State following his sophomore season at BC in 1997.
Penn is the fourth Ohio State Big Ten Player of the Year and the first since Jim Jackson won the honor in both 1991 and 1992. Dennis Hopson was the other honoree in 1987. Penn is Ohio State’s 56th First Team all-Big Ten selection and the 21st guard. Jackson was the last OSU player to make the first team in 1992.
Redd voted to Big Ten Second Team by Coaches, Media
Sophomore Michael Redd, who leads the Buckeyes in scoring this year (19.1 ppg.), was honored by both the Big Ten coaches and media as a member of the all-Big Ten Second Team. Redd was a third team honoree last season as a freshman after leading the Big Ten in scoring (21.9 ppg.), marking the first time a true freshman ever accomplished that feat in the history of the Big Ten.
O’Brien’s 17-Year Collegiate Coaching Record
Year School Record Post-season 1982-83 St. Bonaventure 20-10 NIT 1983-84 St. Bonaventure 18-13 — 1984-85 St. Bonaventure 14-15 — 1985-86 St. Bonaventure 15-13 — 4-Yr. St. Bonaventure Total 67-51
1986-87 Boston College 11-18 — 1987-88 Boston College 18-15 NIT Semis 1988-89 Boston College 12-17 — 1989-90 Boston College 8-20 — 1990-91 Boston College 11-19 — 1991-92 Boston College 17-14 NIT (2nd) 1992-93 Boston College 18-13 NIT (3rd) 1993-94 Boston College 23-11 NCAA (Reg. Finals) 1994-95 Boston College 9-19 — 1995-96 Boston College 19-11 NCAA (2nd Rd.) 1996-97 Boston Colletge 22-9 NCAA (2nd Rd.) 11-Yr. Boston College Total 168-166
1997-98 Ohio State 8-22 — 1998-99 Ohio State 22-7 2-Yr. Ohio State Total 30-29
17-Yr. Collegiate Record 265-246
1998-99 Buckeye Big Ten Players of the Week
Player Date Stats
* Scoonie Penn 11/16/98 40 pts./10 asts. 1st POW for OSU since 1993
* Michael Redd 12/21/98 48 pts./10 3s 10 of 17 FGs were 3-pters for week
* Michael Redd 1/4/99 30 pts vs. Wis. Scored 17-consecutive pts for the Buckeyes
* Michael Redd 1/25/99 30 pts vs. Minn. Reached 1,000th point in 49th OSU game
* Scoonie Penn 2/15/99 27 pts vs. Iowa Career high 27 pts. and 6 3s at Iowa
* Scoonie Penn 2/22/99 7 of 8 vs. NU Had 18 in 2nd half at IU, shot 58% for week
