Ohio State redshirt senior guard Kam Williams (15) will serve an indefinite suspension beginning with Ohio State’s game against Illinois on Sunday at the Schottenstein Center. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Photo Editor
No. 17 Ohio State will be without one of its starting five Sunday against Illinois, and possibly in the Buckeyes’ looming showdown versus No. 3 Purdue on Wednesday.
Redshirt senior guard Kam Williams was suspended by head coach Chris Holtmann indefinitely for a violation of team rules, per a team spokesman. The suspension was announced two hours prior to the Ohio State-Illinois game beginning.
Williams has started in 16 of the Buckeyes’ 24 games this season. He is averaging eight points per game and shooting nearly 49 percent from the field this season, including 46.3 percent from 3-point range.
Freshman forward Musa Jallow replaced Williams in the starting lineup early in the season, so it’s plausible that Holtmann will put Jallow into the starting lineup while Williams serves his suspension.
Williams has been praised by Holtmann this season for his leadership along with senior forward Jae’Sean Tate, redshirt junior forward Keita Bates-Diop and senior guard Andrew Dakich.
Without Williams, Ohio State will have to find production from a player off a bench who has not provided the Buckeyes with much scoring this season. Williams has shown the ability this season to not only be a threat from 3, but also has utilized an effective shot fake to create space for himself off the dribble.
Williams currently ranks second on the team in effective field goal percentage at 59.2 percent, according to advanced statistical ratings service KenPom. He averages 22.3 minutes per contest.
