2 min read • March 26, 2024
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For the Sweet Sixteen, we have ordered each team from lowest SIC score to highest SIC score in order to help you spot matchup disadvantages.
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The status of senior guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is uncertain entering Thursday's matchup against North Carolina.
Wrightsell suffered a concussion last game against Grand Canyon University and it remains unclear if he will play. He averaged 23.5 minutes per game during the regular season with 9 points, 3 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
Despite entering the tournament with a calf injury, sophomore guard Rylan Griffen has played well in the opening two games. Griffen scored 13 points in 30 minutes in the 11-point win over Grand Canyon and had 9 points in 20 minutes against Charleston.
In 30 regular season games, Griffen averaged 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 45% from the field and 38.2% from the 3-point line.
Purdue has cruised through their first two games, beating Grambling State by 18 and Utah State by 36. However, the Sweet Sixteen is where minute differences between teams can make a big difference and primary ball handler Braden Smith has been playing through a right knee injury he suffered on March 16.
After averaging 12.7 points, 7.2 assists and 5.8 rebounds during the regular season, he has averaged 8 points, 8 assists and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 35.2% from the field.
Smith has extra time to get healthy ahead of the No. 5 matchup against the Gonzaga Bulldogs, but our panel of doctors do not believe he is 100% heading into the game. He will likely look to pass more instead of driving to the rim.
Despite its 28-3 record during the regular season, Houston’s team SIC score takes a hit because two depth pieces are out for the season. Freshman Jessie Tugler recently underwent foot surgery and sophomore Terrance Arceneaux suffered a torn Achilles tendon in mid-December.
Arceneaux is the biggest loss to the rotation, as the 6-foot-6 guard averaged 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 11 games this season. Tugler averaged 16 minutes per game this season.
Surprisingly, junior Ramon Walker Jr. has returned to play limited minutes in the NCAA tournament despite suffering a torn lateral meniscus in late February. He played 13 minutes in the opening round and 7 minutes in the second round overtime victory against Texas A&M.
With the extended rest from Sunday to Friday, he should be able to play slightly more minutes against the Duke Blue Devils.
Clemson lost two depth pieces during the course of the regular season with senior guard Alex Hemenway out for the season with a leg injury and senior forward Bas Leyte out for the season with a shoulder injury.
The Tigers went 21-11 during the regular season, finishing fifth in the ACC.
Senior guard Tyler Kolek missed the Big East conference tournament with an oblique injury he suffered on Feb. 28, but has been excellent thus far in the NCAA tournament. In 28 games this season, Kolek averaged 15 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.6 assists on 48.6% shooting from the field and 40% shooting from 3-point range.
He has averaged 20 points, 11 assists and 5.5 rebounds in the first two games against Western Kentucky and Colorado.
The Blue Devils entered the tournament healthy at key spots and finished the regular season 24-7 overall and 15-5 in conference play.
Guard Jeremy Roach suffered a dislocated finger in Sunday’s game against James Madison, but he returned to the game and played well following the injury. The Pro Basketball Docs do not expect it to be an issue next round against Houston.
The Wolfpack have avoided major injury issues in the tournament and the regular season, but are on a Cinderella run despite a 9-11 conference record and a 17-14 overall record.
Tennessee does not have any major injuries of note heading into the NCAA tournament. The Volunteers went 24-7 overall and 14-4 in conference play.
Iowa State has been healthy a majority of the season, finishing with a regular season record of 25-7 with a 13-5 conference record.
The Tar Heels enter the NCAA tournament unscathed after finishing the regular season with a 25-6 record and a 17-3 conference record. After injury issues two years ago in the tournament, senior Armando Bacot is fully healthy and has played in 32 games this season averaging 13.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks in 29.9 minutes per game.
Illinois finished second in the Big Ten with a 14-6 conference record and an overall record of 23-8.
SDSU finished the regular season 22-9 and went 11-7 in conference.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season 25-7 with a conference record of 14-2. Gonzaga enters the NCAA tournament healthy.
The Huskies do not have any major injury issues to note. They finished the regular season with a 28-3 record and were 18-2 in the Big East including splitting the season series against Creighton.
Arizona does not have any major injuries of note. The Pac-12 regular season champs went 24-7 overall and 15-5 in conference play. The Wildcats went 3-3 against ranked opponents this season including a 78-73 win over Duke and a 92-84 loss to Purdue.
Creighton enters the NCAA tournament healthy, finishing the regular season 23-8 and 14-6 in conference.
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