Talk about a team in need of a vacation.

The Indiana men’s basketball team has so many owies it could use a visit from the Red Cross and while the Hoosiers are 10-3 upon completing their non-conference season, the Big Ten Conference season looms after the holidays.

IU last week belted Elon, 96-72, and Kennesaw State, 69-55, at Assembly Hall, but not without difficulties after a stretch that saw them lose to Arizona and Kansas, the best teams on their December schedule.

In-between the unwrapping of presents for Christmas and the singing of Old Lang Syne for New Year’s, there will be a lot of evaluation by coach Mike Woodson.

Despite overseeing a deep and talented roster, Woodson is not a healer and the Hoosiers’ physical status is their biggest problem.

Guard Xavier Johnson, the key playmaker, is out indefinitely, if not for the season, with a foot injury that required surgery.

All-American candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis sat out both games last week with for vaguely described “precautionary reason,” which essentially means he is banged up.

Forward Jordan Geronimo missed the Elon game, reporting at the last minute to Woodson he couldn’t go because of a dislocated finger. Woodson said Geronimo playing depends on how much pain he can stand. Then he did play against Kennesaw State.

Elon, located in North Carolina, is nicknamed the Phoenix, but in this day and age should probably seek Elon Musk as an NIL sponsor and have him give all players free Twitter accounts.

Center Race Thompson pumped in 18 points and gathered 11 rebounds against 2-11 Elon. Freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino added 17.

IU’s self-inflicted fault has been starting slowly. Against Kansas and Arizona, doing so was fatal. Against the Elons of the world, it usually means using the whole 40 minutes to stomp someone.

“Arizona and Kansas were two games that we just didn’t show up,” Woodson said bluntly.

This pattern almost backfired against Kennesaw State, the Georgia school on its way to membership in Conference USA in 2024. The final score Friday night was misleading, the Owls being within easy striking distance until the last handful of minutes in the game.

Tamar Bates came off the bench to score 19 critical points for IU and Hood-Schifino was right there again with 18. Since conquering his own back issue a few games ago, Hood-Schifino has been a freshman maturing fast — and one needed running the point without Johnson.

“We are going to have to step up,” Woodson said following the Kennesaw game. “We’re a little short-handed. Tamar is starting to figure it out.”

Bates has shot well and is a guy who likes to follow a very specific pre-game routine, beginning two hours before tip-off. His stretching plan stems from his high school immersion in yoga and meditation. To each his own in pre-game prep and his 3-pointers were a difference-maker against Kennesaw, which lives on that form of attack.

“I always try to pick my spots,” Bates said, “do what I can to bring us some energy because we needed that tonight. I just tried to find a way where I could bring a spark in.”

Igniting sparks, flashing energy, from the start, is a trait that will be needed when the Hoosiers resume play at Iowa Jan. 5 and against the rest of the Big Ten schedule.

Indiana was ranked No. 18 in the country going into the Elon and Kennesaw games. The Hoosiers are now up to No. 16 after those two victories. The league also features No. 1 Purdue and No. 15 Wisconsin. Maryland, Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan State are also receiving votes.

Johnson is too valuable as a facilitator and offensive threat not to be missed. Hood-Schifino, the only member of a top-notch freshman class who regularly starts, is shouldering a load, but seems ready for the rigors of league play.

Thompson is a rallying guy, Kopp can be deadly in spots, freshman Malik Reneau shined early, but slumped recently. But how far the Hoosiers go hinges on Jackson-Davis’ readiness.

After the Elon game, Kopp’s summation served as a broad message to the team.

“It’s a long season,” Kopp said. “Honestly, it’s about making guys come together. It’s getting the guys to understand we need everybody.”

IU players should repeatedly ponder that comment before bed each night.