Crean: Medical Redshirt Now Likely For Roth

Bloomington – Matt Roth’s chances of returning the court this season appear to be over.

During Monday’s Big Ten Teleconference, IU Coach Tom Crean said the sophomore shooting guard was unlikely to be medically cleared before season’s end. Roth suffered a broken foot in practice leading up to IU’s game against Ole Miss in Puerto Rico in November and has been sidelined ever since.

“I would doubt very much we are going to be able to use him this season,” Crean said Monday. “It’s been a slow process. It was a process that was moving in a good direction, but at the same time, maybe time has run its course. I’m not sure we’re going to be able to use him.”

Before suffering the injury, the 6’3” Washington, Ill., product had averaged just 2.0 points and 5.5 minutes in the Hoosiers’ first two games. But Roth averaged 6.7 points and 21.0 minutes/game as a freshman while ranking second on the team’ in both 3-pointers made (57) and 3-point percentage (37.3%). Following the season-ending knee injury to freshman Maurice Creek before the start of the Big Ten slate, the hope was that Roth could return in time to give the Hoosiers a much-needed threat from behind the 3-point arc.

That scenario seemed more realistic a couple of weeks ago when Roth began dressing for the games, but the window appears to have closed on that possibility.

“I think it’s pretty probable (getting a medical redshirt for Roth) is going to happen right now because that was the plan all along if he wasn’t healthy enough to play,” Crean said.