The Ohio State basketball team has struggled to get quality wins so far this season. In fact, they don't have a single Quad 1 win. They have had several opportunities to get one, but they have failed to seal the deal against multiple good teams. Now, they are running out of time.
The Buckeyes were able to stave off USC in a game they desperately needed to win earlier this week. In that win, John Mobley Jr. suffered a hand injury. It looked like a dislocated finger when it happened. He got it taped up, and he went back out on the court and finished the game.
Prior to a game against Virginia, another opportunity for a Quad 1 win, the Ohio State Buckeyes were given some devastating news. That hand injury is worse than initially thought, and they will be without him indefinitely. This is a huge blow for the Buckeyes as they try to make the NCAA Tournament.
The Ohio State basketball team loses Juni Mobley Jr. to an injury
The team put out a statement a few hours before taking on the Cavaliers, letting everyone know that Mobley Jr. will be out for a while. Losing Mobley Jr. is a huge blow to the team, as he is the second-leading scorer on the team, averaging 15.1 points per game.
Mobley Jr. is also the most dangerous 3-point shooter that Ohio State has. Without him in the lineup, teams will be able to crowd Bruce Thornton even more. Quite frankly, this is the kind of injury that will likely keep the Buckeyes from making the NCAA Tournament since they don't have any good wins yet.
Ohio State will struggle to beat the rest of the ranked teams on its schedule without Mobley Jr. With no firm timeline on this injury, the Buckeyes might be sitting at home during March for the fourth-straight year.