A day before tip-off in Pittsburgh, Kyle Young and Zed Key remained limited in Ohio State's open practice session at PPG Paints Arena.
During a 40-minute practice session Thursday, both Buckeye big men participated in static shooting drills only, including catch-and-shoot work and free throws, but stood on the sideline while the rest of the team ran up and down the court during an outlet drill.
Key and Young are off the sideline while the Buckeyes do shooting drills running up and down the court: pic.twitter.com/tk6jJT8V8f
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) March 17, 2022
Young and Key are participating in static shooting work, however. pic.twitter.com/iKdKGHLwVA
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) March 17, 2022
Young, averaging 8.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in his fifth season, has missed the past three games due to a concussion he suffered against Nebraska on March 1. Key has missed three of the last four games after turning his ankle in the second half of Ohio State's regular season loss at Maryland on Feb. 27.
Key, who has started 23 games this season and averages 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Buckeyes, appeared to move gingerly on his injured ankle when trotting across the court at one point during practice.
Zed Key moving gingerly on his ankle, to say the least. pic.twitter.com/sip3NyF8TH
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) March 17, 2022
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said Thursday that both players are improving health-wise ahead of Friday's first-round NCAA Tournament matchup with No. 10 seed Loyola.
“We're getting healthier. We'll know more on Kyle and Zed here tomorrow, but they are getting healthier,” Holtmann said. “The final decision will be made tomorrow. ... We have seen them do a little more, but it's not like they've been able to do full practices. But they have been able to do a little more, which has been encouraging to see despite not being able to do full practices.”
Loyola forward Aher Uguak said Thursday that the Ramblers are preparing as if Key and Young will both be on the floor for the Buckeyes on Friday.
"The way our coaches prepare, we prepare like they're going to play. They've been involved in the scout, Key and Young," Uguak said. "We're preparing like they're going to play, and if they don't, then I think we'll be fine."
Given Ohio State's recent injury issues, which have coincided with four losses in its past five games, Buckeye forward E.J. Liddell said some people have forgotten about the caliber of play his team is capable of when at full strength.
“We have to have that underdog mentality because I feel like a lot of people have been counting us out recently. I feel like people forgot about how we play when we're fully healthy and we're all locked into everything,” Liddell said. "Come tomorrow y’all will see a different team.”
Buckeye center Joey Brunk, who has started each of the past three games for Ohio State in place of Key and Young, said “obviously we want them to play, but at the end of the day that decision is not really up to us.”
Ohio State and Loyola will tip off at 12:15 p.m. Friday on CBS, and whether or not Young and Key will be available is still up in the air.
