IU kicked off the season with its first practice two weeks ago, but the Hoosiers are already battling the injury bug.
“We’re excited to be at practice, although right now we’re the product of injuries,” IU Coach Tom Crean said Thursday in his opening statement at Big Ten Media Day in Rosemont, Illinois.
Freshman center Thomas Bryant has practiced just once this month due to a sore arch in his foot, and junior forward Collin Hartman is sidelined with a rib injury.
Crean said IU’s coaching staff kept Bryant out of practice and that he’s just beginning to participate in non-contact drills.
The 6-foot-6 Hartman, who Crean noted is IU’s only returning frontcourt rotation player, took a charge from teammate Troy Williams in practice and Williams’ knee went into Hartman’s chest.
“I’ve never seen Troy jump higher, and I’ve never seen a guy be more valiant in taking a charge,” Crean said. “I’d wish he wouldn’t have because he’s going to be out for a little bit because he took some shots to the ribs that are quite sore for him. We’re really dealing with our old guard team right now, trying to get our young freshmen adjusted.”
IU’s backcourt is also returning to full strength after sophomore James Blackmon Jr. and junior Josh Newkirk, a transfer from Pittsburgh who will redshirt this season, underwent surgery in the offseason.
Blackmon Jr. had surgery to repair torn meniscus cartilage in his left knee and Newkirk had microfracture knee surgery in May.
“We’re getting there,” Crean said of his team’s health earlier this month. “We don’t have a team that’s fully healthy so we’ll definitely make adjustments inside of practice.”
Blackmon has been a full participant in practice, but he’s in the process of building his body back up, Crean said. Crean said the sophomore guard is still honing his rhythm and timing after missing time this summer during his rehabilitation.
For Newkirk, IU’s coaching staff has been “extremely creative” in designing workouts for him, Crean said.
“Even though he can really move only in a short space,” Crean said, “hopefully he feels like his fundamentals are getting a lot better.”
The team’s health will affect its depth, which Crean said needs to improve for IU to compete at the highest level in the Big Ten.
“We’ve got a long way to go to get our depth where it needs to be to be considered an upper echelon team in this league from my estimation,” he said.
IU will kick off the season with an exhibition matchup against the University of Ottawa on Nov. 3.
