LaQuinton Ross won't be suspended, Northwestern's Nikola Cerina will

After pushing multiple Northwestern players (including Wildcats forward Nikola Cerina in retaliation for a shoving match with Buckeyes' Amir Williams that culminated in Cerina taking a lazy swing with a closed fist after getting separated from Williams), per multiple reports, Ohio State leading scorer LaQuinton Ross will not be suspended. Cerina, however, will reportedly miss Northwestern's next game.

OSU head coach Thad Matta had said recently he still worries about LaQuinton Ross. On Wednesday evening, Ross showed flashes of the same immaturity that's plagued him throughout his junior season and some believe has led him to spend more time on the bench than he otherwise should have. Despite some relative personal growth limitations, Ross still leads the Buckeyes in scoring with over 14 points per game.

Next up for Ohio State, the 24th ranked Buckeyes play host to the 17-9 (6-7 in Big Ten play) Minnesota Golden Gophers. Though the Gophers have struggled of late, when the two teams last met in Minneapolis, they defeated the Buckeyes, 63-53. Having won two straight, OSU would've likely been forced to start freshman Marc Loving had Ross not been available. For the Wildcats, who've now lost four straight, they'll have to make due without the backup big man Cerina at home against Indiana.

Here was the fight that led to the suspension:

A statement released by Wednesday's lead official Ray Perone read as follows:

"By rule, No. 4 [Nikola Cerina] for Northwestern after he committed the common foul, a push on No. 23 [Amir Williams], took a swing with a closed fist or closed hand at No. 23 for Ohio State. That act is deemed to be fighting by rule, which is Rule 10, Section 5, Article 8: 'Any time an individual uses a closed fist in an unsportsmanlike manner it shall be deemed that the individual has initiated a fighting act and be penalized accordingly.' He does not have to make contact – the fact he swings with a closed fist is deemed to be a fighting act. No. 45 for Northwestern was disqualified for fighting and that carries a penalty (Rule 10, Section 5, Article 11): 'The first time an individual participates in a fight during the season the individual shall be suspended from participating in the team's next regular season game.' No. 10 [LaQuinton Ross] for Ohio State was disqualified for two deadball contact technical fouls, which results in disqualification. No. 10 was not disqualified for fighting and will not be suspended for the next game."