INDIANAPOLIS — It was a great start to Friday’s 87-78 overtime win against Purdue for Ohio State forward Kyle Young. The game did not end well for Young individually, however.
The senior, who averages 8.3 points per game this year, scored 18 points, tying his career high, on 10 shots against the Boilermakers. All 18 of those points came in the first half as Young only played four minutes in the second half after suffering an apparent head injury.
Young began the game by scoring the first points with a jumper early, but it was his three-point shooting that really got the Buckeyes off to a good start against Purdue. An improved three-point shooter, up to 36 percent this year after shooting 14 percent from long range over his first three seasons, Young hit three consecutive three pointers, setting a new career high in made three-point shots before a quarter of the first half was over.
“He did a lot of good things for us in the first half,” guard Duane Washington said of Young after the win. “I told him he’s going to have to make some shots today, that’s what I told him. Before we came into the arena, I told him, ‘Hey, put some in for us today. I’m going to be looking for you.’ I tried to find him a couple times and he put them up and they were good.”
Listening to Washington’s advice, Young hit his fourth three pointer of the half from the corner with four seconds to play to give the Scarlet and Gray an 18-point lead at the break. This went along with three rebounds, one steal and a number of his usual hustle plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet.
“We needed that spark, that lift,” Washington continued. “It brought a lot of energy to us and we needed it. It was amazing. I’m so happy for him.”
The second half did not go as well as for Young.
Less than three minutes into the half, Young took an elbow to the side of his head from Purdue forward Trevion Williams. Young was called for the foul but took the worst of the blow, sitting on the court for several seconds before walking to the other end and standing with his hands on his knees while Williams took his free throws.
Young remained in the game until the 15:38 mark. After coming out, he sat on the bench as Ohio State’s medical staff examined the senior, eventually taking him behind the screen set up behind the benches at Lucas Oil Stadium where they continued to look at him. The group returned to the bench shortly and Young sat with a towel on his head for a few minutes as he continued to talk to trainers and teammates came over to check on him. He was then escorted to the locker room and did not return.
Kyle Young headed to locker room pic.twitter.com/AXK00eHmsk
— Steve Helwagen (@SteveHelwagen) March 12, 2021
After the game, head coach Chris Holtmann said he didn’t know Young’s status for Saturday’s Big Ten Tournament semifinal against Michigan but confirmed he was being checked for a concussion. He also admitted he likely should have taken Young out of the game quicker.
“To be honest with you, I’d like to look back and know the exact scenario right now,” Holtmann said. “We pulled him initially out of an abundance of caution. I think he said he wanted to play and gave us the indication that he was okay. Perhaps looking back on it, I could have pulled him and maybe should have done that. But in that moment, I just kind of looked and trusted what he said.”
Without Young, the Buckeyes struggled to hold off the Boilermaker run and were outscored 29-19 for the remainder of regulation to force overtime. The Scarlet and Gray went eight minutes without making a field goal and held on to play overtime due to 10 made field goals after Young exited the contest.
Despite the scoring slump for much of the second half, Ohio State players were able to find their shooting stroke again in overtime. The task was made more difficult when forward EJ Liddell fouled out with 2:25 to play in overtime, meaning the Buckeyes relied on some rather unique lineups to get the win.
“Losing Kyle was big,” Liddell said after the game. “You all saw the effect he made and the impact. We picked him up and we got the W for him. I hope he’s okay. But just how intense this game was, we both knew what it took and that’s what Big Ten basketball is all about and we just came out on top.”
Forward Seth Towns made a three pointer to give the Scarlet and Gray a four-point lead in the extra period, then hit a jumper. Washington hit a three and two important free throws before a steal and layup by point guard CJ Walker iced the game.
Young’s absence against Michigan on Saturday would certainly be felt if the forward cannot go. While he only scored five points and had four rebounds in the 92-87 loss to the Wolverines in late February, Young is one of the few big men Ohio State has to go against center Hunter Dickinson. In the only game Young missed this year, which he missed due to a concussion, the Buckeyes lost 71-67 to Michigan State and both Holtmann and players spoke after the game about what the senior could have provided.
What’s next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you’re in the loop — take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now!
With that said, the Scarlet and Gray found a way to get the job done without Young in the second half and in overtime and may have to find that same fight, especially from the extra five minutes, in the semifinal.
“I thought it was a phenomenal response,” Holtmann said. “Our guys executed so well. Justice (Sueing) getting to the free throw line I thought was critical. And then in overtime, offensively guys made plays and Duane made some phenomenal reads. We really ran a similar action most of overtime and Duane made some phenomenal reads. Listen, it was a tough one without Kyle because he was unbelievable in the first half.”
