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Creighton’s Greg McDermott turns down Ohio State job

Big East Basketball Tournament - Quarterfinals

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 10: Head coach Greg McDermott of the Creighton Bluejays reacts late in the second quarter against the Seton Hall Pirates during the quarterfinals of the Big East Basketball Tournament on March 10, 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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Creighton head coach Greg McDermott has turned down Ohio State after being offered the head coaching job.

“I’m blessed and honored to be the coach at Creighton,” McDermott said in a statement released on twitter, “and am looking forward to many more great years in Omaha!”

The two sides met on Wednesday, NBC Sports has confirmed, and one source said that McDermott was the only coach University officials met with on Wednesday. ESPN first reported the meeting between the two sides.

McDermott has spent the last seven years coaching Creighton after spending four seasons with Iowa State and five years at Northern Iowa. He’s had something of an up-and-down career -- thriving at UNI and struggling with Iowa State before twice building top ten caliber teams with the Bluejays -- but some of his success has been the direct result of his gene pool. Doug McDermott, Greg’s son, helped lead Creighton into a new era in the Big East while winning National Player of the Year honors.

McDermott has an overall record of 207-175 and 90-118 in conference with an 0-4 NCAA tournament record in his time as a head coach without Doug on the floor, although that postseason performance is skewed by the fact that this year’s Creighton team, the best team that he’s had as a head coach, was derailed by a torn ACL suffered by his star point guard Maurice Watson in January.

McDermott was not the first person on Ohio State’s list. Xavier head coach Chris Mack released a statement on twitter announcing his intention to remain in Cincinnati, while both Sean and Archie Miller quickly saw their names removed from contention.

Current Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg was linked with the opening, but he released the following statement to the Chicago Tribune: “Anytime your name is associated with great job, it’s an honor. But I’m head coach of the Bulls and have no intention of leaving.”

According to sources, Butler’s Chris Holtmann removed his name from consideration on Tuesday, although recent developments have brought him back under consideration.

A source told NBC Sports that Eddie Fogler of Folger Consulting is helping Ohio State with the search.