The Ohio Bobcats are one of those college basketball programs that doesn’t get enough credit for having a successful and storied history. As a MAC program, it’s usually easier to find cheap Ohio basketball tickets than for games of high-profile teams. But the Bobcats have been playing basketball for over a century, creating plenty of magical moments along the way and sending more than a few players to the NBA. Nowadays, last-minute Ohio basketball tickets are almost always in high demand because the Bobcats have proven themselves to be one of the top teams in the MAC year after year, always creating opportunities to reach the NCAA Tournament and step into the spotlight.

The Spectacular Snyder

The heyday for Ohio basketball came in the 1960s under longtime coach Jim Snyder, who finished his playing career with the Bobcats in 1941 and took over as head coach in 1949. While it took some time, Snyder took the Bobcats to the top of the MAC for the first time in 1960. That year’s 16-8 record marked the first of four MAC titles and NCAA Tournament appearances during the 1960s and the first of seven conference titles and trips to the Big Dance during Snyder’s tenure, which ended in 1974. During that time, the Bobcats reached the Sweet 16 in 1960 and made an Elite Eight appearance in 1964, which remains the high-water mark of the program.

The New Era

Since Snyder’s day, coaches have come and gone with regularity at Ohio. But even with a revolving door of coaches, the Bobcats hit their stride once again in the 2010s. Starting in 2010, the Bobcats played in a postseason tournament six times in seven years, including their famous run to the Sweet 16 of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The Bobcats made waves again in 2021, upsetting reigning national champion Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, shining on the biggest stage once again, continuing another golden era of Ohio basketball.