The Indiana Hoosiers were missing star big man Trayce Jackson-Davis in their Tuesday game against the Elon Phoenix, but they did not really need him to demolish their opponent in a 96-72 home win. However, Indiana basketball might still be without Jackson-Davis in the Hoosiers' next game on Friday against the Kennesaw State Owls, still in Bloomington, according to head coach Mike Woodson (h/t Jeff Rabjohns of Peegs.com).

Indiana coach Mike Woodson: Jordan Geronimo has a dislocated finger. Trayce Jackson-Davis went a little bit in practice, not sure if he will play Friday.

Indiana basketball did not give an official reason for Jackson-Davis's absence in the Elon game, but it could be because of a hand issue. He had his hand taped up during the early goings of the 2022-23 college basketball season.

Jackson-Davis is easily the best player of Indiana basketball season. He leads the team with 16.4 points per game to go with an average of 8.2 rebounds per outing. The senior big man is also pacing the Hoosiers with 2.7 blocks per contest. His importance on both ends of the floor for Indiana basketball can't be understated, so the hope for the Hoosiers is that he will eventually get better enough to join the team on the floor.

Indiana basketball can survive lowly teams like Elon and Kennesaw, who are both sub-200 KenPom and sub-150 NET teams this season, but it's about to get tougher for the team after the Owls game, as the Hoosiers will then start to dive into the heart of Big Ten play.