Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann reaches out to Gonzaga’s Mark Few ahead of NCAA Tournament

BOISE – Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann was brushing up on first-round opponent South Dakota State on Monday night when he decided to dial up GU coach Mark Few.

The Zags defeated the Jackrabbits in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

“He was enjoying a beverage and a view of the mountains,” Holtmann said. “I said, ‘Man, what a life that is right there.’ I was quite envious at the time.

“It was about 9:30 or 10 our time. I was just trying to figure out how to guard South Dakota State and asked if he had any suggestions. We had a good conversation and you could tell he was pretty chatty. I said, ‘OK, I gotta go, I have to get back to work.’ ”

It wasn’t the first time Holtmann has called Few seeking advice. The two talked when Holtmann was considering leaving Butler for Ohio State.

“He’s obviously a guy a lot of people have reached out to and I wanted his feedback,” Holtmann said. “He gave me, as you’d expect, level-headed advice. He didn’t say to go or to stay. He just kind of gave me his thought process when situations come up.”