EVANSTON, Ill. – Citing “disciplinary reasons,” IU coach Mike Woodson announced near tipoff that he had suspended five players for the Hoosiers’ game Tuesday night at Northwestern.
Woodson confirmed his decision speaking with Don Fischer on Indiana’s pregame radio show. A program news release distributed at the same time confirmed the five players were guards Xavier Johnson, Parker Stewart, Khristian Lander and Tamar Bates, as well as center Michael Durr.
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“When you don’t obey the rules,” Woodson told Fischer, “you’ve got to do things you don’t want to do.”
After the Hoosiers lost 59-51 to the Wildcats, Woodson addressed the suspensions, but wouldn’t say for how long the disciplined players would be sidelined.
“I don’t know if it’s a one game or not,” he said. “That’s a decision I gotta make as we go home tonight.”
Woodson added: “I’m very disappointed, because I’m strictly about team. Those guys in the locker room know I’m very upset about it.”
Per IU policy, if the players were being suspended for failed drug tests — underlining all those words — they could not dress out for this game and they are dressed out.
His decision meant the Hoosiers faced Northwestern without their most-accurate 3-point shooter, their primary backup center and no established point guard. Woodson confirmed sophomores Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal would begin the game in place of the two suspended starters. Galloway has functioned as a secondary point guard at times for Indiana this season.
Point guard Rob Phinisee is still absent via injury (plantar fasciitis).
Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.
