The Ohio State Buckeyes have started the Big Ten Tournament with back-to-back wins against Wisconsin and Iowa to hang onto their slim NCAA Tournament hopes. On Friday, they face Michigan State in another must-win game. However, they will have to do so without Brice Sensabaugh, the Buckeyes' leading scorer, according to Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch.

“The #Buckeyes will be without Brice Sensabaugh for today's game due to knee soreness.” 

Sensabaugh leads Ohio State with 16.3 PPG, and he just scored 16 points on 8-14 in the 73-69 victory over Iowa, so this is a crushing blow to the Buckeyes' hopes of winning the Big Ten Tournament.

Ohio State's Big Ten Tournament Run

The Buckeyes entered the Big Ten Tournament as the 13th seed, and they won a tough game against Wisconsin on Wednesday before upsetting Iowa on Thursday.

Sensabaugh struggled offensively against Wisconsin, finishing with 9 points on 4-10, but he added 11 rebounds as the Buckeyes won.

The Buckeyes and Spartans met recently, this past Saturday in the Big Ten regular-season finale. Michigan State got the win, 84-78, and Sensabaugh led the team with 21 points.

The winner of Michigan State-Ohio State will go on to play the winner of Rutgers-Purdue in the Big Ten Semifinal, but an Ohio State loss will burst their hopes of an NCAA Tournament bid.

Justice Sueing and Zed Key will have to step up for the Buckeyes, and the absence of Brice Sensabaugh might put to bed any hope of an Ohio State Big Ten Tournament Cinderella run.