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Sean Miller Provides Ominous Commentary On Lowly Big East Standing As Buckeyes Come Knocking

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Sean Miller in a press conference after a Xavier basketball game.

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Xavier head coach Sean Miller was NOT happy with a technical foul received in a Wednesday night matchup with Big East rival Providence. He exploded with an expletive laced rant in his postgame presser, firing off on his supposed lowly status in the conference.

Miller is in Year 2 of his second stint with the program, spending more than a decade at Arizona in between. While wildly successful at both programs, he still doesn’t believe he’s earned the respect of his colleagues.

The coach was hired at Xavier in 2004 before posting four 20-win seasons in five years and leading the Musketeers to a quartet of Big Dance appearances.

The big dogs then came calling, and Arizona made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

After struggling in Year 1, he posted 10 20-win campaigns over his next 11 seasons. He was on his way to doing so again in 2021 before an NCAA investigation led to his dismissal.

After a year off, he was hired back at Xavier in 2022, leading the Musketeers to a 27-10 campaign and making the Sweet Sixteen. This season has been a bit more frustrating, though, and it seemed to come to a head after a loss to Providence.

Sean Miller was called for a technical foul in the first half of play for questioning officials.

He responded after the four-point defeat:

“I got a technical foul, and one of the things I’ve learned, there’s a tier system in this league. I know what tier I’m in. No one has to remind me.

“I haven’t won enough. I haven’t been here long enough. I haven’t been in the Final Four. I don’t have enough championships or wins. I get it.

“But when I get a technical foul… for saying, ‘That’s five fouls in a row,’ that’s a problem.”

He was angry for what he believed to be a slight based on his status within the league. Could that perceived disrespect lead to a quick departure?

Sean Miller is in the mix for the Ohio State job.

While his team has struggled a bit this season, his resume speaks for itself, and there’s a Power Conference opening right up the road. The Buckeyes fired head coach Chris Holtmann midseason, and Miller’s name continues to come up as an option.

While Miller’s never coached in the Big Ten, he is familiar with the area given Xavier’s close proximity to Columbus, OH. Ohio State could also likely offer a salary bump, though they did have to pay Holtmann a hefty buyout following his firing.

Miller was fuming after his most recent loss in what’s been a disappointing year to date. He obviously feels disrespected within the Big East, despite his seven seasons in the league.

Is it enough to jump ship?