2026 March Madness Injury Guide: Must Know Injuries For The Tournament

March is here, with conference tournaments complete and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament this week, bringing the intensity of college basketball to its peak.

While bracket upsets, coaching adjustments, and star performances often dominate the headlines, one of the most important factors shaping the tournament is team health. By this point in the season, nearly every roster is managing bumps and bruises after months of conference play, and even minor injuries can have major consequences in a single-elimination format. With quick turnarounds between games and little time for recovery, players often have to push through ankle sprains, knee soreness, and other lingering issues, making depth and durability just as important as talent.

This injury guide highlights the key health situations across the tournament field, identifying players who may be limited, questionable, or returning from injury as teams fight to survive and advance through March Madness.

Listed below are key team injuries for around the college basketball world ordered by AP Top 25:

Will be constantly updated throughout the tournament*

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Caleb Foster & Patrick Ngongba II - Duke

Foster - 8.5 ppg 3.6 reb 2.8 ast

Ngongba II - 10.7 ppg 6.0 reb 1.9 ast

Duke starting guard Caleb Foster suffered a fractured right foot and could miss the NCAA Tournament after undergoing surgery, coach Jon Scheyer announced. Scheyer did not provide a specific timetable for Foster’s return, saying only that he will miss the “foreseeable” future. When asked whether Foster could return at some point during the NCAA Tournament, Scheyer said Duke would likely need to make a deep run for that to become a possibility.

Patrick Ngongba II missed the ACC Tournament because of ongoing foot soreness, though Head Coach Jon Scheyer remains hopeful Ngongba will return for the NCAA Tournament. Coach Scheyer said that he's been doing therapy, taking it day by day, and that he feels very positive the progress. Ngongba is averaging 10.7 points and 6.0 rebounds this season.

Both missed first round and Ngongba made an unexpected return in the second round.

Joshua Jefferson - Iowa State

16.4 ppg 7.4 reb 4.8 ast

Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson exited the Cyclones’ NCAA Tournament opener after suffering a significant left ankle injury on a drive to the basket, leaving the floor unable to bear weight and later undergoing imaging. X-rays came back negative, but the injury is believed to be a significant inversion ankle sprain with ligament damage, meaning he is expected to miss time. While a return later in the tournament has not been ruled out, it would likely require Iowa State to make a deep run, potentially to the Sweet 16 or beyond, for Jefferson to have any chance of returning at close to full effectiveness, making his absence a major concern for the Cyclones moving forward.

Tyler Bilodeau - UCLA

17.6 ppg 5.6 reb 1.1 ast

UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau suffered a right knee MCL sprain during the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals against Michigan State on March 13, 2026, and missed the subsequent game, a loss to eventual Big Ten champion Purdue. The injury is not expected to sideline him for the NCAA Tournament, but he will likely be less than 100 percent as he manages the sprain. Bilodeau missed the Bruins first round match and theirs a strong chance he misses next game versus UConn.

Silas Demary Jr. - UConn

10.9 ppg 4.5 reb 6.2 ast

UConn’s loss to St. John’s in the Big East Tournament final came with added concern as guard Silas Demary Jr. suffered a left ankle injury late in the game after landing awkwardly on a layup attempt. He was able to walk with assistance after the play and later exited in a walking boot, but has since already come out of it, which is encouraging. According to sicscore.com, the early removal of the boot is a positive sign for the quick guard but he was unfourtunately unable to play in first round. Big chance chance Demary Jr. can play versus UCLA on Sunday.

JT Toppin - Texas Tech

21.8 ppg 10.8 reb 2.1 ast

Texas Tech junior forward JT Toppin suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee during the Red Raiders’ game against Arizona State on February 17, 2026. An MRI confirmed the ligament tear, ending the standout forward’s season and dealing a major blow to Texas Tech’s postseason hopes. Toppin had emerged as one of the team’s most important players and was widely considered a National Player of the Year candidate, making his absence significant as the Red Raiders now head into March Madness without their star forward.

Karter Knox - Arkansas

Knox - 8.1 ppg 4.5 reb 1.2 ast

Arkansas forward Karter Knox underwent a successful procedure to repair his left meniscus on February 18 after battling multiple injuries throughout the season. Knox first missed the season opener against Southern with turf toe and later suffered a hip injury during a road loss to Auburn in January. He was later ruled out with a knee injury during a road trip against Mississippi State and LSU beginning February 7. Knox briefly returned against Auburn on February 14 but played only six minutes before appearing to re-aggravate the injury. The young forward will miss the NCAA tournament.

Mikel Brown Jr. - Louisville

18.2 ppg 3.3 reb 4.7 ast

Louisville five-star freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. is currently considered day-to-day with a back injury, according to head coach Pat Kelsey, who said the team does not have a timetable for his return and is focused on getting him back to 100 percent. Brown has missed the last two games and a total of 10 games this season, including an eight-game stretch from December 13 to January 24. The injury was aggravated during a game against North Carolina, which led to him coming off the bench and playing just 21 minutes against Clemson. Louisville has now finished its regular season and Mikel Brown Jr missed both of Louisville's games in the ACC Tournament. Coach Kelsey said Mikel has been making great progress after missing 5 straight games, but he has unfortunately been ruled out for Saturday's game against Michigan State after missing first round.

Jaland Lowe & Jayden Quaintance - Kentucky

Lowe - 8.0 ppg 2.1 reb 2.4 ast

Quaintance - 5.0 ppg 5.0 reb 0.5 ast

Guard Jaland Lowe will miss the remainder of the 2025–26 season after undergoing successful surgery on his right shoulder in late January. Lowe had been dealing with recurring shoulder dislocations since October, an issue that ultimately required a surgical repair and a projected six-month rehabilitation process. The injury is significant news for Kentucky as Lowe will now be sidelined for the rest of the season, and he plans to apply for a medical redshirt as he begins his recovery.

Quaintance has been sidelined for most of the season due to swelling in his right knee related to a previous ACL tear suffered in February 2025. After appearing in just four games this season, the lingering inflammation and recovery concerns prompted the medical staff to place him on shutdown from activities in January 2026 to protect the knee. Given the continued symptoms and long-term recovery considerations following ACL reconstruction, a return during the NCAA Tournament remains unlikely. Coach Pope said he doesn't think Jayden is going to "cross the line" before this weekend.

Mackenzie Mgbako - Texas A&M

10.4 ppg 4.9 reb 1.3 ast

Texas A&M forward will miss the remainder of the 2025–26 season including the NCAA tournament after re-fracturing his right foot, an injury that required a second surgical procedure to stabilize the area with a supporting plate. The setback occurred in the same foot where he previously suffered a Jones fracture earlier in the season, raising concerns about structural stability and healing in the fifth metatarsal.

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At SICscore.com, we provide expert insights from Dr. David Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) and other top sports doctors including Pro Basketball Doc to help fans and analysts understand the impact of injuries on the player and team.

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