Gophers' top returning scorer Jamison Battle 'week-to-week' with foot injury

Gophers junior forward Jamison Battle, the team's leading returning scorer, underwent minor foot surgery Friday and his status is week-to-week, the team announced.

Battle, who was named Wednesday to the Julius Erving Award preseason top 20 watch list, did not participate in the team's closed scrimmage last Saturday against Colorado State.

Battle's availability for the Nov. 7 opener against Western Michigan is not likely. The Gophers will play without him for the exhibition game Wednesday vs. St. Olaf at Williams Arena.

The 6-7 former DeLaSalle star led the Gophers in scoring (17.5 points per game), rebounding (6.3) and three-point field goals (75) last season after transferring from George Washington.

Gophers second-year coach Ben Johnson praised the work ethic this offseason, as Battle shed nearly 20 pounds to prepare himself to play on the perimeter. Battle was named to the All-Big Ten preseason team earlier this month.

"He's taken that next jump with not only his body," Johnson said earlier, "but now his experience because he's been through it is teaching all of our guys every single day in practice."

Johnson told the Gophers freshmen they needed to take advantage and learn "from a guy who I think has a chance to play at the next level."

Season-ending knee injuries for the second straight year to forwards Parker Fox and Isaiah Ihnen have been a blow to the Gophers' frontcourt depth. They're more equipped to handle injuries in the post this season with North Carolina transfer Dawson Garcia, freshmen Pharrel Payne and Joshua Ola-Joseph, and 7-foot sophomore Treyton Thompson.

Garcia is a projected starter and potentially one of the top newcomers in the Big Ten. The 6-11 junior said last week he was encouraged by the chemistry with Battle on the court.

"Jamison's one of the best players in the country," Garcia said. "It's always good to have someone like that playing with you. We're so interchangeable. That's the great thing about it."

Battle scored 20 or more points 11 times last season, including a career-high 39 points at Maryland. He finished sixth in the Big Ten in scoring and earned honorable mention all-conference honors.

The Gophers haven't given a timetable for Battle's return, but minor foot surgery can at minimum take 2-4 weeks for recovery. The U's early schedule isn't daunting, with four straight home games (toughest could be DePaul on Nov. 14) before traveling to play in the SoCal Challenge on Nov. 21 and Nov. 23.

Earlier this week, Johnson said he wasn't worried about how newcomers such as Garcia and Morehead State transfer Ta'Lon Cooper played in the scrimmage against Colorado State. The coaching staff wanted to get a better look at the younger players who need to be ready.

Battle's injury will give the Gophers another chance to give the freshmen more experience in the exhibition and early this season, including guards Braeden Carrington and Jaden Henley.

"Last year was more about getting the older guys to play together," Johnson said. "This year, I wanted to put stuff on film to show the young guys this is why we do things and to get them to experience college basketball."