IU basketball fans wanted to see Khristian Lander. Against Maryland, they got a glimpse.
Earlier this week, the IU student section was chanting his name.
“We want Lander! We want Lander!”
But he wasn’t ready, at least that’s what Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson said. Whatever was keeping Khristian Lander off the floor wasn’t quite clear then. IU’s media guide reported Lander to have missed time recently with a “sore leg.”
Lander said he has tendinitis.
The former five-star prospect hadn’t seen any playing time since Dec. 22. But now IU needed him. Its depth had been cut thin with Rob Phinisee’s injury. Lander said Phinisee talked about being the “next man up” after the senior's injury against Penn State.
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Lander had dressed in some of IU’s most recent games and against Maryland, he finally made his return. He’d only play 10 minutes in IU’s 68-55 win — he was never going to be expected for much more in his return — and his coach was pleased with his efforts.
“I got faith in everybody that wears this uniform,” Woodson said. “Whatever minutes you give us, you better give us the most positive minutes to help us win.”
Lander has received fairly constant criticism during his year and a half as a Hoosier. He enrolled at IU a year early, and played his first year through college basketball’s unique 2020-21 season. He’s hardly played any significant minutes and for every flash of the talent that made him a prep star coming out of Evansville, he’s shown as much of his age and inexperience.
His 10 minutes at Maryland on Saturday was a chance for him to regain some comfort on the court after missing so much time.
“I felt good in the morning and I felt good in shootaround yesterday,” Lander said. “I was ready to play.”
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Lander had two shifts on Saturday. His stint in the first half lasted just three minutes. He committed two fouls and headed right back to the bench. He’d come back in the second half with 8:34 to play and the result of the game largely in hand.
This shift was much better, even as he picked up two more fouls. Just over a minute after he came in, Lander found Trayce Jackson-Davis in stride heading toward the basket, recording a smooth assist as the star forward flushed a dunk.
“It got me more comfortable running the offense,” Lander said.
With just under five minutes to go, Lander scored his first points since late November in a loss against Syracuse — a layup that put IU up 63-46. And under a minute later, Maryland left Lander wide-open to shoot a 3. He drained it, a smooth stroke swishing through the net.
In total, Lander scored five points, making both of his only two shots. He had four fouls though, and one turnover. Lander said he thought his defense has been getting better, though joked he still had those four fouls to cut down on.
To keep earning more playing time, Lander said Woodson wants to see more of Lander running the floor — that he can run the offense without looking over to Woodson for directions.
With Phinisee’s long term status unclear, Lander is going to have an expended role off the bench. After so much time sitting on the bench without coming in at all, it’s much needed experience to potentially earn a more permanent role in the rotation for the future.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball: Khristian Lander plays for first time in a month
