Men’s basketball head coach Ben Johnson said he hopes to see forward Jamison Battle, who underwent minor foot surgery before the season’s start, able to play with the team again soon.

“When we did our homework and realized the severity was pretty minimal as far as surgeries and injuries go, it just kind of made sense to do it now and get it out the way,” Johnson said Tuesday. “I know he feels pretty good about it. We’ll be excited to welcome him back sooner than later, hopefully.”

Johnson did not say how long it will take until Battle starts playing again, only that he will be sidelined to start the season.

The Gophers have several fresh faces this year with five freshmen and three transfers. With the absence of Battle at the start of the season, it will be critical for Minnesota to adapt quickly and fill the void left by his absence.

Transfer forward Dawson Garcia has the experience to fill the void after a season each at Marquette and North Carolina. The 6-foot-11 forward will be the number one option to step up.

The Gophers won their exhibition game against St. Olaf 71-55 and their season opener against Western Michigan 61-60. Their next game is on Friday against St. Francis Brooklyn.