The loss of Evan Turner will be a huge blow for Ohio State for obvious reasons -- the double-double machine is the cog that makes the Buckeyes go. But when I heard the news that Turner had suffered a frightening fracture to the lumbar vertebra of his spine during Saturday's rout of Eastern Michigan, I didn't think of the statistics Ohio State would lose; I thought of the presence.

I met Turner in New York last month during the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament in New York. It was the night after he had posted the wrong kind of triple double -- including 10 turnovers -- but he was still gracious. I was struck mostly by Turner's maturity, a priceless commodity in a college basketball ruled by underclassmen. He was disappointed in his performance against North Carolina, but also nonplussed. He knew there wasn't time to dwell on his performance with Cal on the horizon. A lot of guys say they aren't rattled; Turner proved he meant it, putting up 26 points, 14 boards and six assists against the Bears.

He is a lock NBA draft pick, yet was somehow stunned and bemused by his face on the cover of magazines. It's like Turner is still a kid shooting at a hoop in Chicago, sort of startled that the rest of the world is paying attention to him. That, unfortunately, is a rarity in a game besieged by kids coddled from middle school into believing they are all the next LeBron.

Ohio State will have its work cut out for it to cover the loss of Turner. Everyone on the roster will have to up their numbers. The statistical void is huge and no one player can slide over to account for Turner's numbers. He is the best player in an Ohio State uniform, a guaranteed 15 and 8 every night.

But as tough as it will be to replace the player, it will be even tougher to replace the person.

As a journalist, I'm programmed not to root for teams.

But I will root for Turner to have a speedy and healthy recovery. He's a good kid and he deserves a swift return.