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Despite being non-committal following his team’s regular-season ending overtime loss to Wisconsin last night, on Monday, Ohio State men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann announced that sophomore forward Kaleb Wesson would return for Thursday’s second round Big Ten Tournament game against Indiana.
Ohio State men's basketball coach Chris Holtmann announces that Kaleb Wesson will return for the Buckeyes Big Ten Tournament game against Indiana.
— News Radio 610 WTVN (@610wtvnnews) March 11, 2019
The Buckeyes’ leading scorer and rebounder has been sidelined for the past three games for an undisclosed violation of athletic department policy. At the time of the initial announcement, Holtmann indicated that Wesson would return this season, but did not give a more detailed timeline.
Ohio State lost all three of the contests that Wesson missed, putting the team’s NCAA Tournament chances in danger, despite being solidly considered in the field for almost the entire season.
On Monday, bracket expert Jerry Palm said that he believes that the winner of Thursday’s matchup between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers is in the tournament. Getting the younger Wesson brother back will be a huge boon for OSU, as they have been missing his 14.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while he’s been out.
Ohio State and Indiana will tip off at 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT on Thursday, March 14 from Chicago’s United Center. The game will be carried on the Big Ten Network.