12/6/2022 basketball Edit

Mike Woodson Provides Injury Update on Freshman Guard Jalen Hood-Schifino

Alec Lasley • TheHoosier

Senior Writer

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Indiana was shorthanded on Saturday in its first loss of the season to Rutgers, 63-48, missing starting guard Jalen Hood-Schifino. Hood-Schifino was out due to back stiffness.

Indiana head coach Mike Woodson provided an update on the freshman guard on Monday during his weekly radio show and more on Tuesday when speaking with reporters.

"Jalen is day-to-day," Woodson said. "Mentally just stay with it . . . Just do what the trainer is telling him."

Hood-Schifino had started every game up until Saturday's loss to Rutgers. On the season, he is averaging 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 28.1 minutes per game.

Rutgers followed a big win over No. 18 North Carolina where Hood-Schifino had a 'breakout' game. He scored 14 points -- a season and career-high -- on 6-of-10 from the field and hit two 3s.

"When we recruited Jalen, I saw a lot of those things," Woodson said. "To me, it was a breakout game in terms of how he started the game because he has been getting off to some slow starts . . . it couldn't have happened to a better person. The guy works his butt off in the gym. always early, staying late."

Indiana struggled to adjust to the Rutgers defense on Saturday, however. The Hoosiers offense was a shell of itself without Hood-Schifino on the floor as a secondary ball handler and point guard. Indiana shot 30.4 percent from the field and had 14 turnovers, both season worst.

Xavier Johnson also struggled without Hood-Schifino, finishing just 2-of-11 from the floor with six turnovers.

"I think X was just trying to do too much. He kind of to me converted back to when I first got him, and for the sake of our team, he doesn't have to do a whole lot," Woodson said. "He's got to do his part, but he's got to also make sure that everybody is involved and he's not just going off on a tirade doing things that he shouldn't do.

"No doubt missing Jalen hurt, having another ball handler to take the slack off a little bit from him, but hey, I don't know when Jalen is going to get back, and we're going to have to figure it out, with X running the point, and Tamar and Galloway happening him -- with CJ helping him handle the basketball out front."

Indiana's bench has been fantastic all season and ranks 22nd nationally in bench points per game (32.5).

Indiana guard Trey Galloway was inserted into the starting lineup against Rutgers and struggled, going scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting in 31 minutes. Mike Woodson mentioned a few players needing to step up in Hood-Schifino's absence.

"I gotta get a little more out of Tamar Bates and really Gallo (Trey Galloway) -- Gallo didn't score any the other night and that's unusual. He always finds some way to score the basketball," Woodson said. "CJ (Gunn), he might see some more. Him and Kaleb (Banks) now that Jalen is out. But we have to get a little more out of (Jordan) Geronimo too."

Indiana plays at home against Nebraska on Wednesday before traveling to Las Vegas to play No. 10 Arizona.