Just 10 days before opening the 2022-23 men’s basketball season, the Gophers announced that leading scorer Jamison Battle underwent foot surgery on Friday.
“University of Minnesota men’s basketball junior forward Jamison Battle underwent a successful minor foot surgery today and is listed as week-to-week following the procedure,” the announcement says.
It’s unclear why the surgery was needed, but a week-to-week status means it’s possible that Battle isn’t ready to play when Minnesota hosts Western Michigan in the season opener on Monday, Nov. 7.
Battle led the Gophers with 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds last season, including 11 games when he scored 20+ points.
He was named a preseason All-Big Ten player recently and earlier this week was put on the 2023 Julius Ervin Award top 20 watch list for the nation’s best small forwards.
If Battle misses two weeks, he’s in danger of missing the opener and the second game Nov. 11 against St. Francis. If he’s out for three weeks he’d likely miss the DePaul game on Nov. 14 and the Nov. 17 game against Central Michigan.
Minnesota plays California Baptist Nov. 21 before the schedule gets tough with Virginia Tech Nov. 28 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, followed by the beginning of Big Ten play in December.
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