Gabe Olaseni pictured in walking boot; UI not confirming injury

IOWA CITY, Ia. --A photo of Iowa center Gabe Olaseni wearing a walking boot on his left foot was circulating online Tuesday, yet another potentially alarming development in the Hawkeye frontcourt.

There was no confirmation of the photo's authenticity, though the student newspaper, The Daily Iowan, reported that Olaseni said he has an ankle injury.

Matt Weitzel, the basketball contact in Iowa's sports information office, said that he was not notified of any injury to Olaseni and that coach Fran McCaffery would address questions about it at his regularly scheduled Thursday news conference.

Olaseni, a 6-foot-10 senior, is coming off a nine-point, 16-rebound performance in Saturday's 67-63 loss at Purdue. McCaffery on Monday brought up Olaseni as a possible replacement in the Iowa lineup if senior Aaron White can't go in Saturday's 11 a.m. game vs. Wisconsin.

White, Iowa's leading scorer and rebounder, suffered a stinger during the 67-63 loss at Purdue and was classified as day-to-day. He will be re-evaluated Wednesday, according to McCaffery.

Olaseni, who averages 8.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots per game, spoke with reporters following Saturday's game at Mackey Arena and exhibited no evidence of an ankle injury. He conducted the interviews in a seated position.

In Monday's Big Ten Conference coaches' teleconference, Purdue coach Matt Painter called Olaseni's performance "one of the best efforts I've seen from anybody in my 10 years in the Big Ten."