Indiana basketball releases injury report ahead of matchup with Kansas

The Indiana basketball program hits the hardwood for game number eight of the 2023-24 season on Saturday afternoon and released its official injury report this morning.

The Big Ten began with its weekly availability report for football this season and announced that it would be conducting the same schedule with basketball. It was announced that programs will have to release their injury reports three hours before tip.

For Indiana, its injury report listed guard Xavier Johnson, Kel’el Ware, Malik Reneau, and CJ Gunn as questionable.

Johnson exited Indiana’s win over Harvard on Sunday shortly before halftime. He tried warming up before the second half but was unable to go. He missed Indiana basketball’s Big Ten opener against Maryland on Friday.

Johnson was wearing a boot.

“Well, it’s been tough for him. I mean, you go back-to-back years where you’re not playing basketball. We went into this season expecting him to be on the floor. He’s not there,” Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson said on Friday. “I know it’s tough on him. It’s tough on us. But we got to keep marching along based on who we got in uniform until he gets back. When that is, I don’t know yet. I just don’t.”

He is averaging 10.5 points, 2.3 assists and is shooting 48.6 percent from the field in six games this year. He is tied for the team-lead in three-point shooting at 5-of-10 this year.

Johnson, who played in just 11 games last season due to a broken foot, was fully healthy to begin this year. In Indiana’s win over Wright State two weeks ago, he rolled his ankle just before the final buzzer. He’s been dealing with an ankle/calf injury ever since.

Johnson’s future timeline is still to be determined.

More: Indiana Basketball Opponent Scouting Notes: Kansas

This is the second straight game for Kel’el Ware showing up on the injury report.

Ware has been fantastic all season — clearly Indiana’s best and most valuable player.

He’s averaging 16.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He is also shooting 60.4 percent from the field.

Ware’s front court partner, Malik Reneau has shown up on the availability report throughout the season. He had been dealing with a back injury that caused him to miss some time during Indiana’s win over Harvard two weeks ago.

Reneau is averaging 14.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this season.

Gunn is the other backcourt player listed alongside Xavier Johnson.

Gunn has been listed as questionable for each of the last three games. He’s averaging 3.6 points in 13.8 minutes per game off of the bench.

Indiana faces No. 2 Kansas at 12:30 on CBS.

SEE ALSO: With or without Xavier Johnson, Indiana basketball guards continue to be outplayed in big moments

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