Indiana basketball releases injury report ahead of matchup with Minnesota

The Indiana basketball program hits the hardwood for game number 17 of the 2023-24 season on Friday night and released its official injury report this afternoon.

The Big Ten began with its weekly availability report for football this season and announced that it would be conducting the same schedule with basketball. It was announced that programs will have to release their injury reports three hours before tip.

For Indiana, its injury report listed forward Payton Sparks and guard Anthony Leal as questionable.

Sparks has been dealing with an injury over the last few games following his one and only start of the season.

Sparks started in place of Kel’el Ware against Kennesaw State and had 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in just 14 minutes. Since then, he’s played just three minutes in the last three games — all coming last time out against Rutgers.

On the season, Sparks is averaging 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game.

For Anthony Leal, it’s the first time listed on the injury report this season.

Despite playing limited minutes all season, he’s had valuable minutes when he’s been on the floor. In seven appearances, Leal has averaged 8.1 minutes per game.

His most impactful segment came against Kennesaw State earlier this season. Indiana watched a 13-point first-half lead turn into a four-point deficit thanks to a 44-29 run over a 15-minute segment. Leal provided a much needed spark.

“He’s had a really great week of practice,” Woodson said postgame. “After the break, he came back, and I thought his two days of practice, he deserved to play more. And I just decided to play him. And he gave us a hell of a spark when he came in. I mean, just from a defensive standpoint. He did a lot of things that we didn’t do early in that spot.”

“He definitely had a spark off the bench,” IU forward Malik Reneau added postgame. “He came in with so much energy, it just rejuvenated us, I’ll say, and got us back to what we needed to do on the court, and we got stops.”

On the season, Leal is averaging just 1.7 points per game.

Indiana basketball faces Minnesota on Friday night at 6:30 pm ET on FS1.