Maryland Basketball: JaQuan Lyle won't play against Maryland

JaQuan Lyle is one of the biggest contributors for Ohio State.

However, Lyle will miss Saturday’s game against Maryland due to a family emergency. Coach Thad Matta announced the news on Friday and said that Lyle is tending to his 19-year old sister, who recently had a baby and has complications.

Lyle will not travel with the team to College Park. The sophomore scored nine points (4-of-6 shooting) and grabbed six rebounds in the Jan. 31 meeting between the two schools.

On the season, Lyle is averaging 11.4 points (third on the team), 5.0 assists, and 2.9 rebounds for the Buckeyes. He is also shooting 37.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Lyle had scored just five total points in wins over Michigan and Rutgers.

C.J. Jackson will get the start in Lyle’s absence on Saturday. Jackson played a season-high 28 minutes in the last two games as Lyle has been battling an ankle injury.

Jackson was only averaging 16.4 minutes-per-game on the season. He’s also averaging just 4.2 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.3 rebounds as the backup point guard.

In addition to Lyle, Matta also announced that forward Keita Bates-Diop wouldn’t travel for the Maryland game. Bates-Diop had been travelling with the team despite suffering a season-ending leg injury last month.

Bates-Diop’s young brother, Kai, is a 2019 forward, but suffered a heart attack and collapsed during a practice on Thursday. Bates-Diop has flown home to Illinois to be with his family.

Ohio State definitely hasn’t been treated kindly by the injury bug this season. Maryland could have an easier road to victory with Lyle out of the lineup.