Indiana basketball releases injury report ahead of matchup with Wisconsin

The Indiana basketball program hits the hardwood for game number 19 of the 2023-24 season on Friday night and released its official injury report this afternoon.

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 forward Kel’el Ware as questionable and guard Anthony Leal as out.

Ware has been an extremely consistent player for Indiana this season, currently averaging 14.2 points, 9.4 rebound and 1.6 blocks per game. He has started all but one game, a game he missed due to covid.

The 7-foot center has seven double-doubles this season.

“Well, it’s the second effort. When we first got him, that didn’t even exist in terms of him making second and third efforts to try to go get the basketball. A lot of it was he just hadn’t been taught and pushed to do it. I mean, it’s like night and day from the time we got him to where he is today in terms of going hard and understanding that you just can’t take possessions off,” Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson said earlier this week. “From where he was, man, he’s come a long way, and it’s kind of nice to see because a lot of people just didn’t expect that because he hadn’t played.

“I just think there’s a lot of room for growth. He’s a young, talented 7-footer that does a lot of good things for you.”

Ware has scored in double-figures in 14 of his 17 appearances this season. He is averaging 13.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in Big Ten games. Forward Payton Sparks got the start in Ware’s only missed game this season.

For Anthony Leal, it’s the second straight game he has missed. During warmups before Purdue, Leal was limping and grabbing at his calf.

Despite playing limited minutes all season, he’s had valuable minutes when he’s been on the floor. In seven appearances, Leal has averaged 8.1 minutes per game.

On the season, Leal is averaging just 1.7 points per game.

Indiana basketball faces Wisconsin on Friday night at 8:30 pm ET on FS1.

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