Mike Woodson Provides Injury Update on Indiana Center Kel'el Ware

Starting center Kel'el Ware missed the Hoosiers' most recent game at Wisconsin on Friday, but Indiana coach Mike Woodson is optimistic he'll return soon.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana played without sophomore center Kel'el Ware in Friday's 91-79 loss at Wisconsin, but coach Mike Woodson is optimistic the 7-footer will return soon.

"We're hoping that he'll be back Saturday," Woodson said during Monday's Inside Indiana Basketball radio show with Don Fischer. "I can't promise that. He's still not on the floor yet from the ankle injury, so we've just got to take it a day at a time and see where it leads us."

Woodson said after the Wisconsin game that Ware suffered the injury during practice when he came down on someone's foot and turned his ankle. Without Ware, Indiana started junior Ball State transfer Payton Sparks, who finished with seven points and two rebounds before fouling out in 29 minutes of action.

Ware has started 17 games for the Hoosiers this season, missing two due to injury. When healthy, he's been one of Indiana's most productive players. Ware plays 30.9 minutes per game and averages 14.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 blocks per game. He's shooting 54.5% from the field, 67.6% free throw line and 41.7% from 3-point range on 24 attempts. 

Ware transferred to Indiana after averaging 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds at Oregon, where he played just 15.8 minutes per game and came off the bench in 31-of-35 games.

"I'm very pleased with this kid because, again, he didn't play last year," Woodson said. "So this is really the first time he's been given some significant playing time. All the things that were said about him coming in were somewhat true, but he's responded to coaching and when you're young that's important. If you want to develop as a player, you've got to accept coaching and he's done that. He has improved based on his minutes and his stats so far, he's done a hell of a job for us. I think sky's the limit."

Ware was a five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American in the class of 2022, and he was recently projected to go 22nd overall in a 2024 NBA mock draft by Yahoo! Sports.

Indiana's next game is Saturday at 3 p.m. ET at No. 10 Illinois.

"They basically play small basketball," Woodson said of the Illini. "And they force you to try to go small as well, but we can't do that. I've got a 7-footer if he decides to play, and I've got Malik. So we've got to make them have to play us as well. They are playing well, though, as a ball club.

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