Penn State will be without its best overall player for a pivotal matchup against No. 15 Oregon on Sunday. Ace Baldwin Jr., who was ruled questionable prior to tipoff, did not dress in uniform and was sidelined during team warmups.
Baldwin injured his back while drawing a charge in the first half of a 91-52 loss to Illinois on Wednesday. He did not return for the second half.
Entering Sunday’s game against the Ducks, Baldwin was Penn State’s leader with 13.9 points and eight assists per game.
Baldwin was last season’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was named a preseason All-Big Ten selection entering this year.
Baldwin’s absence followed a two-game skid for the Nittany Lions, who are attempting to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in two seasons.
