From the moment Zed Key’s left shoulder popped out while battling Zach Edey for a rebound, Ohio State’s plans in the paint have been compromised. One of only two players to have seen action in more than two games for the Buckeyes last season, Key entered his third year as the team’s primary option at center. Listed at 6-8, 255 pounds, Key brought an element of physicality to games that Ohio State planned to utilize in order to make up for a lack of elite height. Those plans went out the window when Key suffered the injury on Jan. 5, played through it for more than a month and finally shut it down after reinjuring it in a Feb. 16 loss at Iowa. In his place, Ohio State has relied more heavily on freshman center Felix Okpara but has also spent more time playing without a traditional big. Isaac “Ice”…
Continue Reading: Without Zed Key, Ohio State finding some big answers by going small
