Indiana’s Tayton Conerway Exits Early vs. Michigan with Ankle Injury
Indiana went into Tuesday night’s matchup against Michigan hoping to bounce back in Big Ten play, but they were dealt an early blow when starting guard Tayton Conerway was forced to exit just two minutes into the game due to an ankle injury. The Hoosiers would go on to fall 86-72 in Ann Arbor, but the bigger concern now shifts to Conerway’s health moving forward.
Conerway, who’s been averaging 12.1 points per game this season, initially suffered the injury on Saturday during Indiana’s game against Iowa. The injury came midway through the second half when he collided with Iowa’s Tavion Banks.
Conerway immediately grabbed his right ankle and limped off the court, clearly in pain. Despite the scare, he returned just two minutes later and finished the game, showing the kind of toughness that’s made him a key piece of Indiana’s backcourt.
But as is often the case, adrenaline can mask the real damage. Once the dust settled from the Iowa game, Indiana’s medical staff got a closer look at the ankle, and the outlook was less optimistic.
Conerway was listed as questionable ahead of the Michigan game and went through his usual pregame warmups. He even got the start, but it didn’t take long to see that something wasn’t right.
After just two minutes on the floor, he subbed out and didn’t return.
“He tried to give it a go, it just wasn't ready,” head coach Darian DeVries said after the game. “He hadn't been able to practice the last couple days, and he just couldn't move the way he wanted to on (his ankle). So, you know, we have to get him back, get him healthy again.”
There’s no official timeline yet for Conerway’s return, but it’s clear that Indiana will be cautious with one of its top scorers. For a team that leans heavily on his ability to create offense and apply pressure on the perimeter, his absence is more than just a short-term setback-it’s a challenge that could shape the Hoosiers’ next stretch of conference play.
In the meantime, Indiana will need to find ways to fill the void, whether that means giving more minutes to younger guards or adjusting their offensive sets to compensate. But make no mistake: getting Conerway back to full strength is priority number one.