March Madness Sweet 16 Injury Report - Injuries to know for the NCAAM Tournament

Caleb Foster & Patrick Ngongba II - Duke

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. With the few days off before the Sweet 16, Coach Scheyer said there is an "outside chance" Foster is able to return for their game versus St. John's.

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 about the progress. He was able to log 13 minutes in their Round of 32 game versus TCU despite coming to the arena on a scooter. He was a little shaky in his return, as he committed 4 fouls and 4 turnovers. Ngongba is averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds this season.

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

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Joshua Jefferson - Iowa State

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. He has an MRI scheduled for 11am on March 23rd according to Coach Otzelberger.

Silas Demary Jr. - UConn

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 unfortunately unable to play in first round. He was able to play in their second round game versus UCLA where he logged 22 minutes of game time despite originally being listed as questionable.

Karter Knox - Arkansas

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.

C.J Cox - Purdue

Purdue sophomore guard C.J. Cox left Saturday’s NCAA Tournament game with an apparent knee injury, but the early outlook appears encouraging after the Boilermakers secured the win and advanced to the Sweet 16. Cox went down with just over 17 minutes remaining in the second half and did not return. Purdue, however, was able to pull away and finish off the victory without him. After the game, Cox said the injury occurred on a drive to the basket and did not sound overly concerned about the severity. “I just went for a Euro and then I hyperextended it, and it tightened up a little bit,” Cox said. “Nothing serious.” Pro Football Doc also weighed in on the injury, noting that the hope is Cox is dealing with only a hyperextension, though bone bruise concerns can still exist even in less severe cases.

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