Freshman guard Scotty Middleton will miss Ohio State’s first-round NIT matchup against Cornell Tuesday night to attend to a family matter. Middleton will not be with the team but is expected to rejoin the Buckeyes for the rest of the NIT if they advance to the second round.
Middleton, who is averaging 4.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 30 games this season, has emerged as one of Ohio State’s most productive bench players towards the end of his freshman campaign. After a slow start to his Buckeye career, Middleton hit his stride in the final eight games of the regular season, averaging 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.9 steals per contest while also shooting 47.2 percent from the field.
Middleton was making the most of his impact from beyond the arc, where he was shooting 65.0 percent from the field in that same span. His efforts from three were especially felt during Ohio State’s win over Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, where he notched 11 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, including 3-of-3 from three.
With Middleton out, Ohio State will likely call on guards Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr. to carry more of the load in the Buckeyes’ backcourt, with fifth-year guard Dale Bonner also likely taking on more of a role.
