Ohio State must pay former men's basketball coach Jim O'Brien more than $2.4 million for his wrongful firing in 2004, an appeals court ordered Thursday.

The 10th District Court of Appeals also ruled that O'Brien should not receive an additional $1.3 that he had said he was owed by the university.

In the majority ruling, Judges Donna Bowman and G. Gary Tyack affirmed a decision by the Ohio Court of Claims. Judge Judith L. French dissented.

University attorneys had argued that O'Brien committed a material breach of his contract and shouldn't receive any money.

The university has 45 days to appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court, which can elect not to hear the appeal.