The Ohio State Buckeyes might be facing at least one more game without star forward Jared Sullinger, via the Associated Press.
Sullinger has missed Ohio State's previous two games, including the team's first loss of the season when they fell 78-67 to the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, and Ohio State coach Thad Matta said on Tuesday that he does not know when his star forward will return.
"It’s the progression we’re trying to take in terms of step by step," he said of the pace at which Sullinger is being brought back from back spasms that have caused him to sit out the last two games. "As opposed to running the full marathon, we’re going to warm up with a 5K and then get to a 10K."
The Buckeyes host the 6-4 South Carolina Upstate Spartans on Wednesday and then hit the road for a game against the 3-5 South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday.
On the season, Sullinger is averaging 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds and is shooting 62.2 % from the field, so while Ohio State should have little trouble against South Carolina Upstate, they will need Sullinger at full strength as they march toward their conference schedule.