WEST LAFAYETTE − Matt Painter again loaded up Purdue basketball‘s nonconference schedule to challenge a team with Big Ten title and NCAA tournament aspirations.
The upcoming grind got a little tougher after Friday night.
Daniel Jacobsen, Purdue‘s 7-4 freshman center who started the first two regular season games, is out indefinitely, Painter said after Sunday’s practice.
Jacobsen’s right leg got tangled with Northern Kentucky’s Keeyan Itejere one minute into Purdue’s 72-50 win over the Norse on Friday night at Mackey Arena. The result was a fractured tibia. Jacobsen is scheduled to have surgery on Wednesday.
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“You feel bad for Daniel,” Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer said. “He’s worked really hard. He’s proven that he deserves to start and eventually go on and be a great player here. Obviously it’s a little setback for him, but I know his mentality and he’s going to rehab and he’s going to get ready to go.”
Jacobsen exited the game and later returned to Purdue’s bench on crutches and with an ice pack on his lower right leg.
In last week’s season opener, Jacobsen supplied Purdue with 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in his Boilermakers debut. Purdue plays Yale at home Monday night before the 13th-ranked Boilers host No. 2 Alabama on Friday in a battle of two Final Four teams from last season. Purdue plays its first road game at No. 17 Marquette on Nov. 19.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How long is Purdue freshman starter Daniel Jacobsen out with injury?
