Penn State men’s basketball forward Favour Aire is expected to miss four to six weeks with a hand injury, head coach Mike Rhoades said following Penn State’s 79-45 victory over Delaware State Monday night.

“Four to six weeks and somewhere in there. He told me the other day he’s a fast healer,” Rhoades said. “He’s in a big cast. We have to get him right.”

Rhoades then took an optimistic view in his press conference, raising the possibility of an earlier return pending Aire’s healing process.

The sophomore from Nigeria was seen in a tracksuit on the Penn State bench with an apparent cast on his hand. He was listed as unavailable by the Big Ten availability report released before the game.

Aire transferred to the Nittany Lions this offseason from Miami and was expected to see significant playing time off the bench, backing up former Georgetown transfer Qudus Wahab.

With Aire out for at least a few weeks, fellow sophomore Demetrius Lilley will likely see more time on the court behind Wahab. Leo O’Boyle will also earn more responsibility inside the paint with smaller lineups expected to be used.