Ohio State will be without a starter on Saturday.
Senior forward Kyle Young has been ruled out for the Big Ten tournament semifinal against Michigan.
Kyle Young of @OhioStateHoops will not be available for the game vs. Michigan today. He suffered a concussion in the second half vs. Purdue Friday. Kyle has entered Ohio State medical protocols and will be evaluated daily.
— Dan Wallenberg (@OSUADAthComm) March 13, 2021
He took an inadvertent elbow to the head from forward Trevion Williams in the second half of the Buckeyes' 87-78 win against Purdue, causing him to leave the game after a few possessions. Head athletic trainer Brad Watson evaluated him in and behind the bench area, eventually taking Young back to the locker room. After the game, Holtmann confirmed his starting forward was being evaluated for a concussion.
It's unclear how long he will remain unavailable or if there's a chance he'd play in Sunday's Big Ten championship game if Ohio State advances one more round. Per Ohio State spokesperson Dan Wallenberg, Young “has entered Ohio State medical protocols and will be evaluated daily.”
In any case, Ohio State will have to win without Young – who tied a career-high of 18 points versus Purdue – on Sunday. Defending Michigan's frontline, led by 7-foot-1 center Hunter Dickinson, will largely be a two-man job for sophomore E.J. Liddell and freshman Zed Key. Those two will have to play significant minutes in order for the Buckeyes to secure an upset victory and move on the the tournament championship.
Young has now suffered two concussions this season, previously missing the Buckeyes' Feb. 25 game against Michigan State after taking a shot to the head in the final seconds of Ohio State's first game against Michigan.
Michigan will be without a key player for Saturday's game, too, as the Wolverines announced Saturday morning that Isaiah Livers – their second-leading scorer – is out indefinitely due to a stress injury in his right foot.
