Garcia, Payne sidelined for Gophers in latest injury setback

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota sidelined leading scorer Dawson Garcia and top reserve Pharrel Payne for the game Wednesday against Indiana due to injuries, further depleting the last-place team in the Big Ten.

Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson also was ruled out of the game because of COVID-19, the university announced before tipoff.

Garcia has a bone bruise in his right foot, an injury that came late in the game Sunday at Michigan. Payne was placed in the concussion protocol. There is no timetable for their return, the team said.

Backup guard Braeden Carrington will be out at least another three weeks because of a stress reaction in his right leg. Forwards Parker Fox and Isaiah Ihnen had season-ending ACL injuries in summer workouts.

Garcia is averaging team-highs of 14.9 points and 6.3 rebounds in his first season with his home state team after transferring from North Carolina. Payne is averaging 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds as a freshman.

The latest injuries left Minnesota with seven available scholarship players. Only three of them — Jamison Battle, Ta'Lon Cooper and Joshua Ola-Joseph — are averaging more than 4 points.