IU junior forward Hanner Mosquerea-Perea has been sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury, the program announced Tuesday.
He suffered an injury to his right knee in practice Monday. Further details of the injury were not disclosed.
Mosquera-Perea has started all 16 games for IU this season at center. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound player has averaged 7.4 points, 5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 20.9 minutes per game.
“There is no question this is a blow to Hanner and definitely a blow to our team,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “He does a lot. The important thing right now is Hanner’s recovery and rehabilitation.”
Inconsistent play has caused Mosquera-Perea’s starting job to come into question in recent weeks.
In three Big Ten games, he has only managed to play 40 total minutes. In IU’s last two games, Mosquera-Perea has recorded just four points and grabbed three rebounds in 18 total minutes.
IU Coach Tom Crean said he has considered modifying his starting lineup as recently as 30 minutes before IU’s last game against Ohio State.
Two possible replacements for Mosquera-Perea in the starting lineup are freshman forward Emmitt Holt or sophomore guard Collin Hartman, who actually played center down the stretch in IU’s 69-66 win against No. 22 Ohio State last Saturday.
Holt, who joined the team in August — a year early — is averaging five points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game.
“Emmitt has done a fantastic job of becoming a game player for us,” Crean said Monday. “He’s bringing a lot of effort on the glass. He’s got very good short-space quickness and effort and mobility.”
Hartman is averaging 4.2 points in 16.4 minutes per game. A natural wing, Hartman’s role has been changed a bit this year due to IU’s lack of height, and Crean has complimented his ability to fill onto whatever role he has asked him to take on.
No official announcement on Mosquera-Perea’s health has been made by IU.
IU plays Penn State tonight at 7 p.m. in Assembly Hall.
Sam Beishuizen and ?Alden Woods
