Indiana has been without their leading scorer, Malike Reneau, for about three weeks now after he suffered a knee injury within the first 30 seconds of the game against Rutgers on January 2. Against Ohio State, the Hoosiers were even more short-staffed as they didn't have freshman guard Bryson Tucker due to a dislocated pinky he suffered in practice before the game.
The Hoosiers are lucky to have gone 4-2 in the Big Ten without Reneau, but their two losses might have been a lot closer had they had their leading scorer on the court. Indiana just barely made it past Ohio State and needed to get the win in overtime without Reneau and Tucker.
The good news is that Indiana could get both back for their next matchup against Northwestern tomorrow night in Illinois. When speaking to the media today, head coach Mike Wodson gave an optimistic update on both Reneau and Tucker and their respective injuries.
"Well, a lot's going to depend on Malik today. He worked some yesterday," Woodson said in his Tuesday press conference. "Tucker worked a little yesterday so I'll gauge it today. We got a 12 o'clock practice before we take off, so I'll get a better feel of where Malik and Bryson is at this point."
It is a good sign that both Reneau and Tucker are working out with the team before the game tomorrow. Seeing how both work on the court will be crucial to whether or not they will be good to go for tomorrow's game.
The Hoosiers have certainly missed the extra weapon that Reneau was on the court with them. Without him, teams have focused more on players like Oumar Ballo, Myles Rice, and Mackenzie Mgbako. Players such as Luke Goode, who moved into the starting lineup in the absence of Reneau, have stepped up and become players than he can off the bench easily when Reneau returns to the court.
Updates on both Reneau and Tucker's availability against Northwestern will be posted as we learn more.