Indiana Star Oumar Ballo Benched After Being At A Bar The Night Before A Game

Published|Updated

When the Indiana Hoosiers took the court at home against Winthrop on Sunday for their final non-conference game of the regular season, they were without star center Oumar Ballo. 

There was speculation that Ballo's absence wasn't connected to an injury. Rather, a picture circulated on social media showing Ballo out at a local bar late Saturday night, a little more than 12 hours before Sunday's tip-off against Winthrop.

The Hoosiers listed Ballo as "questionable" on Sunday morning before ultimately not dressing the 7'0" senior, who averages 12.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. 

Indiana didn't need Ballo, and they beat Winthrop 77-68 to move to 10-3 on the season. 

After the game, head coach Mike Woodson added more cloudiness to the situation by refusing to address Ballo's absence. 

"I'm not going to address that," Woodson told reporters. 

Ballo is one of Indiana's highest-paid NIL players, reportedly making over $1 million this year after transferring from Arizona following last season. 

If Indiana is going to make a run towards a Big Ten Championship, they're going to need Ballo to show up ready to play every night. 

Indiana basketball player Oumar Ballo did not play against Winthrop on Sunday after he was seen at a bar late on Saturday night.

Indiana basketball player Oumar Ballo did not play against Winthrop on Sunday after he was seen at a bar late on Saturday night.

(Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Five Big Ten teams are currently ranked in the AP Top 25, but Indiana is not one of those schools, despite starting the season at #17 and climbing as high as #14. 

However, two losses during the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in late November – by a combined 34 points to Lousiville and Gonzaga – along with a 17-point loss against Nebraska on December 13 have knocked the Hoosiers outside the Top 25. 

Indiana begins its full conference slate on Thursday against Rutgers. It's unclear if Woodson plans to start Ballo in that contest. 

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.