Mike Woodson Unsure If Indiana Point Guard Xavier Johnson Will Play Against Kansas

Indiana has an important matchup against the No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, but the Hoosiers could be without senior point guard Xavier Johnson for a fourth consecutive game.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana coach Mike Woodson is unsure whether senior point guard Xavier Johnson will play Saturday against Kansas.

"It's been tough for him," Woodson said Friday. "You go back-to-back years where you're not playing basketball, I mean we went into this season expecting him to be on the floor and he's not there. I know it's tough on him. It's tough on us, but we've got to keep marching along based on who we've got in uniform until he gets back. When that is, I don't know yet. I just don't."

Johnson has missed Indiana's last three games against Auburn, Michigan and Maryland after leaving the Harvard game on Nov. 26 with an apparent ankle or foot injury. In the six games he played, Johnson averaged 10.5 points and 2.3 assists while shooting 50% from 3-point range. He also broke his foot during last year's game at Kansas, causing him to miss all but 11 games.

If Johnson is unable to play, 6-foot-2 freshman point guard Gabe Cupps will likely make his fourth consecutive start. Across nine games, Cupps is averaging 2.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 35% from the field, 36.4% from 3-point range and 7-for-8 at the free throw line. 

Indiana is 2-1 in full games without Johnson this season, including two important Big Ten wins and most recently a 104-76 blowout loss to Auburn in Atlanta. While Indiana was able to defeat Maryland and Michigan without Johnson, his absence was glaring last Saturday against Auburn, a fast and physical team that brought heavy defensive pressure. 

Indiana could surely use Johnson against Kansas for a variety of reasons. His presence take pressure off Cupps and Trey Galloway, he's one of Indiana's best defenders, and he's currently third on the team in made 3-pointers despite playing just six games. 

"You're dealing with young Gabe is a freshman, who's still trying to figure it out, and he gives us all he can give us," Woodson said. "I'm very pleased with the way he's played for us, but we've got to get other guys stepping up and playing. I mean, it's just that simple. And when you do that, you put yourself in position to win basketball games."

Tipoff between Indiana and Kansas is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

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