Ohio State basketball keeping an eye on star player entering injury protocol

Currently 11-5 and 3-3 in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes are closely monitoring one its star players following the narrow loss to Washington on Sunday.

Jan 11, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes center Christoph Tilly (13) dribbles towards the basket while guarded by Washington Huskies forward Hannes Steinbach (6) during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Ohio State center Christoph Tilly missed most of the second half of the 81–74 loss at Washington on Sunday, leaving Buckeye fans concerned.

There was some relief when Tilly was later seen walking out of the locker room under his own power and without any visible protective gear.

Speaking on his radio show today (January 13), head coach Jake Diebler said Tilly was “going through protocol for getting hit in the head” after taking multiple hard falls during the game.

The graduate transfer subbed out for the final time with 15:47 remaining and Washington holding a 50–45 lead. Shortly thereafter, Tilly exited the bench area and did not return to the court for the remainder of the game.

Tilly's absence was noticeable

While his absence was noticeable down the stretch, there were no immediate outward signs of serious injury. Diebler added that the Buckeyes were scheduled to return to practice on Wednesday, at which point Tilly would undergo further evaluation to determine his status moving forward.

“We don’t have any firm update [today],” Diebler said. “What we do know is during the game he was going through protocol for getting hit in the head. We’ll have more information, but there’s really no conclusion to jump to as of what we have today.”

Tilly’s departure forced Ohio State to adjust its frontcourt rotation on the fly. Backup, Ivan Njegovan played extended minutes off the bench, logging a career-high 24 minutes, finishing with four points and he tied a career high with six rebounds, while also recording a block.

He did commit two turnovers but provided valuable size and energy as the Buckeyes tried to keep pace with the Huskies.

Ohio State also leaned on freshman forward Amare Bynum, who was asked to play some minutes at the center position. Bynum acknowledged after the game that it was a learning experience, as he adapted in real time to a role he has not regularly filled this season.

Tilly has been a key piece for Ohio State since transferring from Santa Clara, where he spent the previous three seasons.

 He has started all 15 games for the Buckeyes this year and has been one of their most consistent contributors. Entering the Washington game, Tilly averaged 12.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest while shooting an efficient 78.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Beyond the box score, Tilly’s physicality has been especially important. He leads the team in fouls drawn per 40 minutes at 6.6, a reflection of his ability to establish position and put pressure on opposing defenses.