It was a tough road back last season for Ohio State guard Madison Greene, but after a knee injury cost her the 2021-22 season, she was excited to get back on the floor for the Buckeyes.
“I feel great,” Greene said during a preseason media day. “It’s really exciting to be back on the court again and to play with my teammates. I’m really excited about this year and what we can do, so it’s going to be fun, for sure.”
Greene remained with the team during her recovery, sitting on the bench for most games, and she said it gave her a new perspective as she awaited her return.
“Sitting on the bench this (past) season, it helped me learn more about the game, more about the players that I’m going to play with this year, it just made me learn…it really made me just appreciate being healthy, because I’ve never been through like a major injury like this,” she said. “It was definitely a different perspective and then you sit back and think about basketball, family, friends and everything, so it’s been a long journey.”
Greene looked like her usual self in her first return to action, coming off the bench in Ohio State’s season opener against Tennessee. She played 22 minutes and scored 7 points to go with three rebounds, four assists and three steals, making an impact on both ends of the floor in the Buckeyes’ win over the Volunteers.
She continued to come off the bench over the next several games, including at Boston College when she added 8 points and nine assists, and she reached double digits for the first time with a 10-point outing on 3-of-6 shooting in a win over Ohio.
Greene saw a return to the starting lineup, however, once starting point guard Jacy Sheldon was hampered by a lower-leg injury which ultimately kept her out for most of the regular season. Her first start of the season came in a win over Wright State on Nov. 23, 2022, posting 17 points and eight assists. In her next start against North Alabama, she played 36 minutes and had 15 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-7 shooting.
She continued to look like her old self over the next five games, averaging 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.8 steals. But disaster then struck in Ohio State’s overtime win over South Florida on Dec. 20, 2022.
After playing 32 minutes in the contest, scoring 14 points and adding an assists and two steals, Greene went down with another apparent leg injury, which was later confirmed to be season-ending, the second in as many seasons for Greene.
It ended what had been, to that point, an impressive comeback for Greene, who averaged 10.9 points, 5.0 assists and 2.9 rebounds on 48.3 percent shooting from the field and 56.0 percent shooting from deep.
“It’s really tough,” Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff said. “I feel terrible for her. She’s an incredible kid and she’s worked incredibly hard to get back. She was playing so well and being so impactful on our team, but we can’t control that.”
Ohio State’s depth at guard took a significant hit after Greene’s injury, as Sheldon would not return in a full-time capacity until the Big Ten Tournament, but the Buckeyes held strong with added contributions from Rikki Harris and other guards on the roster.
While the injury was another disappointing end to Greene’s season, her run before her injury showed what she can do when on the court for Ohio State. As she looks to work back from yet another season-ending injury, the Buckeyes hope to have Greene back healthy for the upcoming season.
