Seven seniors from the Nut House attended the last regular-season game at the Schott for the Men’s Basketball team on March 6. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
In a day overshadowed by Ohio State’s fourth consecutive loss, Saturday was a time for honoring seniors donning the scarlet and gray — but not just those on the court.
The focus of the senior day ceremony was on senior forward Kyle Young and redshirt senior guard CJ Walker, who potentially played their final game in the Schottenstein Center, but a few sections up in the stands, a group of seven seniors from the NutHouse — Ohio State’s basketball student section subsect of Block “O” — also had the opportunity to say goodbye thanks to head coach Chris Holtmann.
The fourth-year Ohio State head coach said the students’ absence was felt, and he thought it was important to provide the seniors on the student section’s committee an opportunity to attend a game in the 2020-21 season.
“The NutHouse, we’ve desperately missed them, particularly in these last three home games,” Holtmann said. “I loved seeing them there, I know our players did too. We’re so grateful that they took the initiative to get over here.”
Big Ten restrictions prevented the NutHouse and other fans from attending basketball games in the 2020-21 season. The restrictions were eventually relaxed to allow families and friends of players and coaches to attend, but the student section of approximately 1,000 students failed to obtain any seats.
But following an email from the NutHouse leadership to Holtmann and collaboration with athletic director Gene Smith, Dan Pitts, a fourth-year in operations management and director of the student section, said they received an opportunity to attend the regular-season finale.
“Coach Holtmann loves us and he’s the nicest guy ever,” Pitts said. “From what I heard, he did everything he possibly could to get us in here and he got the seniors in here.”
Although the Buckeyes ultimately came up short against No. 4 Illinois, who downed the Buckeyes 73-68, the experience provided seniors such as Ethan Iaia, a fourth-year in chemical engineering, with an opportunity to do something he hadn’t for a year: cheer on Ohio State in person.
“Honestly, I never thought I would go to another Ohio State sporting event before I graduated. So, this morning when I was getting dressed, I was like ‘This is crazy,’” Iaia said. “It’s unreal, I never thought I’d come here again.”
Although all the senior members were given seats at the final home game, the majority of the NutHouse’s 21-person committee had to continue watching games on TV.
Christopher Dahman, a fourth-year in city and regional planning, got reprieve from his virtual fandom for a game, but he said the group has done the best it can to root on the team from afar.
“We have a group chat so whenever the games are on, we’re always talking to each other and watching the games virtually,” Dahman said. “It’s hard, COVID is making it really tough, but we’re trying our best to keep supporting the team.”
Although the NutHouse has gotten creative with their viewing methods, Pitts said they could not compare to being at the game in person.
“I love basketball more than any other sport here at Ohio State and this literally made my senior year,” Pitts said.
Mackenzie Shanklin contributed reporting to this story.
