Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann announced that sophomore forward Zed Key and fifth-year senior forward Kyle Young will both be a game-time decision for Friday’s NCAA Tournament game against Loyola Chicago.
“As far as our health right now, I think we’re getting healthier,” Holtmann said during his media availability on Wednesday afternoon. “I have no update on Kyle or Zed. Those will be game-time decisions right now. We’ll know more here, honestly, in a couple days. I don’t have an answer for you right now.”
Key suffered an ankle injury in the Feb. 27 loss at Maryland and has missed three of the last four games as a result. He attempted to play in the regular season finale against Michigan on March 6, but left the game after scoring four points and pulling down four rebounds in seven minutes off the bench.
Young, meanwhile, has been sidelined for the last three games after leaving the March 1 loss to Nebraska with a concussion. He notably suffered a pair of late-season concussions last year that kept him out of the NCAA Tournament loss to Oral Roberts, as well.
“They’ve been able to do some things, but not full practices,” Holtmann said. “The indication is those guys are doing everything they can to get back and, hopefully, they will get cleared. We’ll see what our roster is on game day. I just don’t know right now.”
If Key and Young are unable to play, sixth-year senior center Joey Brunk will likely get the starting nod once again. He’s averaging 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 29 minutes over the last three games.
“Our guys understand we’ve had a season unlike any others with injury, so they understand it is next man up,” Holtmann said, referencing the season-ending back injury to sixth-year senior forward Seth Towns and the abdominal injury that has kept fifth-year senior forward Justice Sueing sidelined for all but two games. “The next guy needs to be ready and perform at a high level.”
Tipoff for Friday’s game between the seventh-seeded Buckeyes and No. 10 seed Ramblers at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh is set for 12:15 p.m. on CBS.
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