Don’t look for Indiana sixth-year point guard Xavier Johnson to return from injury during either of the Hoosiers two non-conference games this week.
Based on comments by IU coach Mike Woodson on his radio show Monday evening, Johnson has not returned to the practice floor after suffering a foot injury on Nov. 26 vs. Harvard.
That means Johnson will almost certainly need some time in full contact activities in practice before he would return for a game.
Woodson all but counted Johnson out for this week’s home games on Tuesday and Thursday against Morehead State and North Alabama, respectively.
“He’s still gonna be out, I don’t know how long,” Woodson told radio voice Don Fischer Monday. “We’ve got him on the stationary bike and the elliptical machine, he’s doing some work there. But he’s not back out on the floor yet.”
After Indiana’s Thursday game this week, the Hoosiers will have more than a week off before returning to action on Dec. 29 vs. Kennesaw State. That will be their last tune-up before returning to Big Ten action in early January, and it could present a good opportunity for Johnson to shake off some rust before league action resumes.
On his pregame radio show on Saturday, Fischer hinted a return vs. Kennesaw State a week from Friday could be the plan for Johnson. Woodson didn’t go that far on Monday, but he is anxious to get his starting point guard back on the court.
“Hopefully soon, because we need our senior point guard back,” Woodson said. “It would be kind of nice to have him back soon.”
After missing the final 24 games of the 2022-23 season with a broken foot, Johnson has missed four games so far this season. It’s been a sudden reversal of fortunes, as he had never missed time due to an injury during his college career prior to last season.
Johnson is averaging 10.5 points, 2.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per contest this season.
Indiana is thin from a depth standpoint in the backcourt, with both Johnson and freshman Jakai Newton out. In Johnson’s absence, freshman point guard Gabe Cupps has started. He’s given IU steady minutes, but Woodson readily admits he wasn’t planning to give Cupps a major role this year.
“I didn’t come into this season to play Gabe Cupps 38 minutes,” Woodson said.
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