Indiana Suddenly Suspends Five Players For Game at Northwestern

Indiana suspended starting guards Xavier Johnson and Parker Stewart for Tuesday night's game at Northwestern, along with three other bench players.

Tom Brew | Feb 9, 2022

Indiana Suddenly Suspends Five Players For Game at Northwestern /

EVANSTON, Ill. — Just 15 minutes before tipoff, Indiana media relations officials announced that five Hoosiers, including starting guards Parker Stewart and Xavier Johnson, were suspended for Tuesday night's game against Northwestern.

Also suspended were sophomore guard Khristian Lander, freshman guard Tamar Bates, senior center Michael Durr.

UPDATE: Here is the game story, including postgame quotes from Mike Woodson and Trey Galloway about the suspensions. CLICK HERE
TOM BREW COLUMN: What's the cost of these suspensions for Indiana? It could be substantial. Did these five guys cost the Hoosiers a potential NCAA Tournament big? CLICK HERE

THURSDAY UPDATE: Indiana coach Mike Woodson has reinstated all five players, and cited a missed curfew as the reason for the suspensions. Here's the story. CLICK HERE

Indiana was now without all three of its point guards. Senior Rob Phinisee has been out for two weeks with a foot injury. Johnson has started all 22 games at the point. Stewart has started all but one game.

Sophomore guard Trey Galloway, who played point guard in high school, got the start. Sophomore Anthony Leal, his longtime AAU teammate, started at the other guard spot.

Indiana is 16–6 and trying to qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

LIVE BLOG: Follow Tuesday night's Indiana-Northwestern game live and in r eal time. CLICK HERE
TOM BREW COLUMN: During the final 13 minutes of Indiana's loss to Illinois on Saturday, the Hoosiers scored just 11 points and made only two baskets in their set offense, going 2-for-15 from the field. It was a recipe for disaster, and one we've seen before. CLICK HERE
INDIANA VS. ILLINOIS PHOTO GALLERY: Look at more than 15 photos from Indiana's matchup against Illinois at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers won the first half but fell apart in the second and were beat 74-57 by the Fighting Illini. CLICK HERE
WHAT WOODSON SAID: Here's what Indiana coach Mike Woodson said after the Hoosiers' loss to Illinois. CLICK HERE
WHAT THOMPSON SAID: Here's what Indiana forward Race Thompson said after Saturday's game. We have the video and the transcript. CLICK HERE

Published Feb 9, 2022

TOM BREW

Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who has worked at some of America's finest newspapers as a reporter and editor, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the Indianapolis Star and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered college sports in the digital platform for the past six years, including the last five years as publisher of HoosiersNow on the FanNation/Sports Illustrated network.