Mike Woodson Provides Injury Update Before Indiana's Exhibition Game Sunday
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Hoosiers are a bit banged up heading into Sunday's 1 p.m. ET exhibition game against the University of Indianapolis.
As expected, freshman guard Jakai Newton remains out indefinitely with a knee injury. A groin injury continues to bother sophomore wing Kaleb Banks. Woodson first mentioned this injury on Oct. 10 and originally said he expects Banks to be ready for the exhibition game, but the injury appears to have lingered.
"Right now Kaleb has been kind of hampered with a groin pull," Indiana coach Mike Woodson said Friday. "So he's kind of been on the sideline the last week and a half. We're kind of gradually bringing him back slowly because that's something that can be nagging all year, and I don't need that. I need him healthy and ready to go. I don't know if we'll play him on Sunday."
Woodson noted a few weeks ago that Oregon transfer Kel'el Ware had been dealing with a shoulder injury and that Miami transfer Anthony suffered an ankle injury, but both of these appear to have been minor ailments.
Both Ware and Walker will play Sunday.
"Everybody is healthy except right now Kaleb Banks and Jakai," Woodson said. "Those two guys won't play on Sunday. I mean, Banks could play if I wanted to play him, but this groin thing, I've dealt with players that had groin pulls, and those and calf pulls, things like that is nagging, and if you don't watch it closely and rehab right, it could be a problem all season. I'm going to need Kaleb Banks, so we might not play him on Sunday for sure."
Banks committed to Indiana out of Fayette County High School in Hampton, Ga., as a four-star recruit, ranked No. 92 in the nation. He played a limited role as a freshman, appearing in 26 total games and logging double-digit minutes just five times. But after Indiana lost six rotation players, Banks has a chance to contribute as a sophomore.
Despite being listed as a forward, Banks showed some guard skills in high school, being able to handle the ball, drive to the basket and shoot from beyond the arc. His impact was mainly felt on defense and rebounding as a freshman, but Indiana hopes he can develop into a versatile option.
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