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Zed Key unavailable at Maryland with shoulder sprain

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•01/08/23•

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Zed Key by Lance King/Getty Images
Ohio State center Zed Key suffered a left shoulder sprain Thursday night against Purdue. (Lance King/Getty Images)

COLUMBUS — Ohio State center Zed Key is missing his first game of the season Sunday. Key will be sidelined at Maryland with a left shoulder sprain he suffered early in the first half against Purdue Thursday night.

Key has been the Buckeyes’ primary five man all season. Despite giving up height down low — Key is only 6-foot-8 — the Bay Shore, New York, native has more than held his own, thanks to not only his strong, 255-pound frame but also his ability to use angles to leverage his body over bigger centers.

Key is averaging 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game this season. With E.J. Liddell in the pros, Key has taken on a more significant role in 2022-23, particularly on the offensive end of the court. Key has expended his range, already converting six 3-pointers this season after not attempting a single one the first two years of his Buckeyes career.

Key has turned in five double-doubles this season, including three straight to start his junior campaign.

How the injury happened…

Less than four minutes into Thursday’s 71-69 defeat to top-ranked Purdue, Key suffered a left shoulder sprain while jostling for a rebound with Boilermakers star center and National Player of the Year candidate Zach Edey.

Immediately, Key began holding his shoulder, bent over in pain. Moments later, after an Edey dunk, Key was subbed out and escorted to the locker room.

“As far as Zed, no update,” Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said postgame. “Shoulder injury. We’ll know more tomorrow.”

It’s the shoulder Key injured at Duke earlier this season. The injury occurred on the same kind of play, with Key battling for a rebound — back then on the offensive glass against Duke center Ryan Young but very late in the nine-point loss.

Key said postgame at Duke that he stretched back too far for the ball but noted that the injury was “nothing too serious.”

“Just icing it and getting treatment,” he said.

Buckeyes assistant coach Jack Owens added at the time: “Just one of those things that I believe happened a few weeks ago in practice that he re-aggravated. But I think he’s fine.”

Key didn’t miss a game after the Duke flare-up. But he didn’t return to action Thursday night against Purdue after leaving the floor before the first media timeout.

What Key’s absence means for Ohio State…

First and foremost, Key’s absence means that we’ll see a whole lot more of freshman center Felix Okpara. After not having played more than 19 minutes in his first 13 games at Ohio State, Okpara eclipsed the 30-minute mark versus Purdue.

Whereas Okpara struggled with foul trouble against North Carolina’s Armando Bacot earlier this season — the only game he’s fouled out — he committed just two personals against Purdue, and that’s while guarding the 7-foot-4 Edey.

The 6-foot-11 Okpara chipped in five points, five rebounds, three blocks and two assists in the dramatic loss.

Key being sidelined could also mean more minutes for Eugene Brown III, who is gearing up for his fourth game back after missing nearly the first two months of the season while recovering from a concussion. Brown offers Ohio State positional versatility. Even though he’s listed as a 6-foot-7 guard, he can defend three through five, if need be.

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