Indiana has a chance to be back to full strength on Wednesday. Or at least as close to it as they’re going to get this season.
Junior forward Malik Reneau has been participating in workouts and could see the floor when IU faces Northwestern at Welsh Ryan Arena (7 p.m. ET, BTN).
“A lot is going to depend on Malik today (Tuesday),” coach Mike Woodson said Tuesday morning via Zoom. “He worked some yesterday. I’ll gauge it today. We’ve got a 12 o’clock practice today.”
At 14.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, Reneau is second in both categories for the Hoosiers. He suffered a right knee injury in the opening minutes of Indiana’s Jan. 2 game against Rutgers but avoided structural damage. IU has gone 4-2 in the games he has missed, including Rutgers.
Reneau has started every game he’s been available this season. Woodson said Tuesday he isn’t sure yet what he’ll do with the starting lineup once Reneau returns. IU started Oumar Ballo, Mackenzie Mgbako, Luke Goode, Anthony Leal and Myles Rice on Friday at Ohio State.
Woodson said freshman forward Bryson Tucker worked out some on Monday as well and is on the radar to potentially play at Northwestern. Tucker has a dislocated pinkie finger on his shooting hand.
Indiana is rounding back into good health at a critical time, as the most difficult part of the regular season schedule looms. Eight of Indiana’s final 12 games are Quadrant 1 contests according to the NCAA’s NET system, and the other four are Quadrant 2.
Redshirt freshman guard Jakai Newton also returned last week after a minor midseason procedure. Newton hasn’t been a regular in the rotation to this point as he has continued to battle injuries for more than two years.
When Reneau and Tucker return it would leave sophomore guard Gabe Cupps as the only player not coming back anytime soon. Cupps had a knee procedure and is expected to miss the rest of the season and request a medical hardship waiver to earn a fifth year of eligibility.
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