Ohio State basketball and its unlucky stretch of nagging injuries

OSU

C.J. Walker is among the few Ohio State basketball players who hasn't missed time because of injuries this season.AP

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Every team is dealing with their own bumps and bruises at this point in the season, but Ohio State basketball’s string of injuries has limited the number of times they’ve had a full team take the floor.

E.J. Liddell, C.J. Walker and Kaleb Wesson are the only rotation players who haven’t missed time with injuries. Every other player has endured an injury, or suspension, or something limiting their impact on the court.

“It’s been unlike any year I’ve ever experienced when it comes to that,” head coach Chris Holtmann said. “I’ve had years where we’ve had some injuries, but not almost from the get go. ... Having said that, we’re in survival mode in a lot of ways with some of that and our guys are in a pretty good place.”

Holtmann has had 14 of the first 24 games with his entire roster available. That doesn’t include the last four, in which freshman D.J. Carton has been away from the program as he deals with his mental health. There is still no timetable for when or if he’ll return this season. Carton is one of six players who have dealt with some form of injury that has forced them to miss games. Meanwhile, there have been plenty of nagging ailments that have limited various players’ performance.

“We definitely miss the guys are either out right now or were out during the year at some point,” Duane Washington Jr. said. “They’re on this team for a reason. Everyone has a role ... we always want to be on the court. The guys that aren’t, we know we’re playing for them.”

Washington Jr. got off to a hot start this season, averaging 11.4 points on 52.1 percent from the field and 53.7 percent from 3-point range through nine games. Then a rib injury kept him out two games. Since his return, he’s averaging 10.3 points but hasn’t regained his pre-injury form. Holtmann had raved about his shot-selection after a 71-52 win over Kent State, but he’s shooting just 34.5 percent since returning from the injury.

"I felt like I was in a pretty good groove, and then, unfortunately, I had the rib injury," Washington Jr. said. "From there (I'm) just trying to get back into that groove to making shots at a high clip and (with) efficiency as well."

Then there’s Luther Muhammad and Kyle Young. Muhammad’s only absence was a one-game suspension, but he’s playing through shoulder injuries that have haunted him since his arrival. It’s why he’s forced to wear a bulky black brace on gamedays.

In Young’s case, there’s the appendectomy he had after a 67-59 loss to West Virginia that cost him two games. Then there’s the right leg injury he suffered last season that still forces Holtmann and his staff to be careful in how much workload they give the junior forward.

"We are more conscious as a staff right now that we have ever been as to the wear and tear on our guy's bodies because of the concerns about depth and injuries," Holtmann said.

Other injuries include Andre Wesson, who suffered an eye injury in Game 2 against UMass Lowell, forcing him to miss the win over Villanova. Justin Ahrens has just recently rounded into shape after dealing with back injuries for months. Musa Jallow had preseason surgery on his right ankle that would eventually lead to another surgery and redshirting his junior season. Even Justice Sueing, redshirting this season after transferring from California, suffered a left-foot injury that required surgery.

Regardless, Ohio State needs wins. More specifically, wins over quality opponents. Getting one over Purdue would provide them with a Quadrant Two win if the season ended this weekend. Holtmann understands no one is going to consider his team’s health if they don’t accomplish that on Saturday.

“People all over the country have injuries,” Holtmann said. “At the end of the day, it’s did you win or did you lose? Did you perform or not? Did you make the NCAA tournament or not? That’ll be the postscript.”


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