Ohio Athletic Director Jim Schaus introduced former Ohio State assistant John Groce as Ohio’s new basketball coach today at a news conference. Groce, 36, will get a five-year contract worth about $250,000 a year, Schaus said. $50,000 of that will be for for media obligations like post-game interviews and weekly radio shows.

“It’s a dream come true to be a head coach at a prestigious university like Ohio University," Groce told The Post.

“This is a perfect fit – this is a perfect match.”

The move to hire Groce came quickly after Tim O’Shea accepted the head coaching position at Bryant University last week. Groce was the first to admit that this past week has been a “whirlwind” and the next 90 days will likely be the same.

In 2001, Groce went to Butler University. This marked the beginning of the eight years he spent with Thad Matta, current head coach at Ohio State. A year later he followed Matta to Xavier University where he spent three seasons before his last stop in Columbus.

Groce spent the last two seasons as Matta’s associate head coach at Ohio State. Matta was the one who told Groce about the opening at Ohio and urged him to consider it.

“He told me, ‘it’s not why would you take the job, it’s why wouldn’t you,’” Groce said.

College Hoops ohio, ohio state, xavier, john groce, thad matta, tim o'shea