OSU MEN
Terwilliger to miss game because of appendectomy
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
</IMG>
The Ohio State men’s basketball team will play its Big Ten tournament opener Friday with no center backing up conference player of the year Terence Dials.
But coach Thad Matta said 6-foot-8 sophomore Matt Terwilliger "will be ready for the NCAA Tournament" next week despite having an appendectomy yesterday at the OSU Medical Center.
Terwilliger first experienced discomfort Sunday, athletics department spokesman Dan Wallenberg said.
"It got worse, they did some tests Tuesday, and based on those tests, he had the procedure done," Wallenberg said.
The Buckeyes (23-4), the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, play at noon Friday in Indianapolis against the winner of a first-round game between Penn State and Northwestern.
Terwilliger has not been ruled out beyond that game, Wallenberg said.
Semifinals are Saturday and the championship game Sunday.
Terwilliger averaged 10.7 minutes during the season.
The Buckeyes are scheduled to leave today for Indianapolis. Terwilliger is not expected to be with them, Wallenberg said, but he is expected to rejoin the team Friday.