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Northwestern freshman out for the season with shoulder injury

Chris Collins

FILE - In this Dec. 27, 2013, file photo, Northwestern head coach Chris Collins reacts as he watches his team play DePaul in an NCAA college basketball game in Evanston, Ill. Northwestern is heading into its second season under Collins with a deeper roster boosted by a highly touted freshman class to go with the upgrades to its arena. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

AP

Northwestern received some bad news this week as freshman forward Rapolas Ivanauskas will be out for the season after having shoulder surgery.

The 6-foot-8 Ivanauskas was considered a top-100 player coming out of high school, according to Rivals, as he’s one of the Wildcats’ most important recruits in the Chris Collins era. It’s hard to say if Ivanauskas would have been ready to make a big impact during his freshman season, but now he won’t even have a chance to crack the rotation.

“We’re disappointed for Rapolas as he’s worked extremely hard this summer alongside his teammates,” Collins said in the release. “I know that he will attack his rehab with the same attitude and energy that he has on the court. We expect a full recovery in 4-6 months, and look forward to a very bright future with the Wildcats.”

Without Ivanauskas, the Wildcats will rely on Aaron Falzon, Dererk Pardon and Gavin Skelly up front while freshman center Barret Benson should also have a shot to earn quality minutes.