Health is big question as Gophers men's basketball team heads to Northwestern

Gophers coach Ben Johnson glanced at his bench, hoping to give players rest in the second half of Wednesday's 61-57 loss against Indiana, but he had no scholarship players left to send into the game.

Johnson had entered the game with a Big Ten-minimum seven scholarship players available and finished with only five healthy enough to keep going.

The Gophers still nearly pulled off an upset thanks to Jamison Battle's gutsy play and reserves stepping into bigger roles. Even Battle was injured, dealing with a sore back.

"Regardless, if your back is hurting or not, just trying to play my best when my best is required," said Battle, who scored 20 points. "You can see I felt comfortable out there."

The Gophers (7-12, 1-8 Big Ten) are tied with Nebraska with a Big Ten-leading five players out because of injuries. Leading scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia (bone bruise) and freshman Pharrel Payne (concussion) will be game-time decisions for Saturday's game at Northwestern.

The Wildcats were on a COVID-19 pause earlier this month, but they've won two straight games and only have one player (Julian Roper) out with an ankle injury.

It can be tough to stay afloat in the Big Ten at full strength in such a deep conference, but teams like the Gophers have been forced to compete shorthanded several times.

"This time of the year most teams aren't 100 percent," Johnson said. "Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game. None of us as much as we want to can control it, so you try not to worry about it."

The Gophers had scholarship players miss a combined 11 games last season because of injuries or sickness. Even if Garcia and Payne return Saturday, the U will already have 11 total games missed this year with half the Big Ten regular season remaining. Freshman Braeden Carrington (leg) could still be out for at least a few more weeks.

The U's missed games don't count forwards Isaiah Ihnen and Parker Fox, sidelined the past two seasons because of knee injuries. On Wednesday night, Garcia, Payne and Carrington joined Ihnen and Fox in street clothes on the Williams Arena bench.

Starter Joshua Ola-Joseph (cramp) and reserve Will Ramberg (leg) ended up sitting as well after playing just seven minutes combined after halftime. That left Battle, Ta'Lon Cooper, Taurus Samuels, Jaden Henley and Treyton Thompson to play almost the entire second half.

Battle carried the offense late with 13 points in the second half. His fourth three-pointer of the game gave the Gophers a one-point lead under two minutes to play.

After suffering a back stinger in the Jan. 16 loss vs. Illinois, Battle was clearly bothered when he was held scoreless for the first time in his career three days later against Purdue at home. He bounced back, putting up 44 points and 10 rebounds combined while sitting just two minutes the next two games, including playing all 40 minutes Wednesday.

"I'm trying to be who I am," said Battle, who missed the first four games this season after foot surgery. "That's something I've shied away from this year. Trying to maybe press the issue or do something I'm not really comfortable doing."

Johnson hopes the Gophers players who are healthy enough to play Saturday against Northwestern can be comfortable and confident, not wasting time or energy thinking about injuries they've had in the past. That includes Battle.

"Don't want him to dwell on it and overthink that," Johnson said. "You want to have as clear a mind as possible when you're out there playing."