Apparently, the Ohio State basketball team is bigger than one player.
That seem too cliché? Well, throughout much of the month of January Buckeyes players could have watched Russell as he dominated and solidified himself as a top-five pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.
But Wednesday the Buckeye lost 60-58 at Purdue. It was a game they played without second-leading scorer Marc Loving who, according to statement from the school, “has temporarily lost his privilege to wear the Scarlet and Gray.”
Translation: The 6-7 sophomore forward will be back. And when he does return, the Buckeyes will appreciate him even more.
The Purdue game wasn’t considered a cupcake even with Loving. But it represented a potential road win that could have solidified their tournament resume. While Russell has been the main attraction, Loving has come up big for the Buckeyes on the biggest of stages.
When the Buckeyes have played a ranked opponent this season, Loving has scored above his season average (11.7 points per game) in each of those games. Purdue isn’t ranked, but the game certainly seemed to provide a stage ideal for Loving.
Email: sgruen@suntimes.com
Twitter: @SethGruen