College Basketball Injury Report for First Round of March Madness
Every year when filling out your bracket, deciding what bets to place, or making a DFS lineup, you have to consider injuries coming into the NCAA Tournament. In 2026, there is a lengthy list of recent injuries to some big-name players we need to watch out for. We'll take you through the most impactful players nursing an injury, region-by-region, and how it could affect the prospects of each team in the tournament.
Check out our Top DFS Picks and Values for Thursday's Opening Round of the NCAA Tournament.
NCAA Tournament Key Injuries
East Region Key Injuries
Check out RotoWire's East Region Picks and Predictions.
Caleb Foster, G, Duke
Status: Out - Foot
Foster missed the ACC Tournament, but the team was hopeful he could return for their NCAA Tournament run. Unfortunately, imaging revealed a fracture in his foot that is likely to cost him the rest of the season. There's an outside chance he could return for the Final Four if Duke was to advance, but that seems like a stretch. Cayden Boozer will have to continue to hold things down at point guard for the Blue Devils.
Patrick Ngongba, F/C, Duke
Status: Out - Foot
Ngongba also missed the ACC Tournament with a foot injury, but he seems to be in a little better shape than Foster. That said, he will not play in the Round of 64 game against Siena on Thursday. Duke is a better team with Ngongba in the game protecting the paint and it allows Cameron Boozer to slide back over to power forward. Duke was able to win the ACC Tournament without their starting center and it looks like they will have to do the same to begin this NCAA Tournament run. The hope is he can return later in the tournament when Duke will really need extra size.
Taison Chatman, G, Ohio State
Status: Will Play - Groin
Chatman missed Ohio State's last game in the Big Ten Quarterfinals against Michigan with a groin injury, but he will be good to go for the Round of 64 game against TCU. After being rarely utilized early in the season, Chatman has evolved into a nice role player for the Buckeyes averaging 7.2 points in 21.5 minutes over the last 13 games.
Mikel Brown, G, Louisville
Status: Out - Back
Brown had been reportedly making good progress from a nagging back injury, but Louisville ruled him out for at least the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The expected lottery pick will not be there when Louisville begins the tournament on Thursday against South Florida. They would have to win that game and then likely another against a very strong Michigan State team on Saturday if Brown was going to have another chance to play in a game this season. Ryan Conwell, Isaac McKneely and Adrian Wooley will continue to run the Cardinal's backcourt.
Donovan Dent, G, UCLA
Status: Expected to Play - Calf
Dent went down early in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals against Purdue last Saturday with a calf injury after just 10 minutes of action. The good news is that he is expected to be ready to go for Friday's first-round game against UCF. Dent has experience in the NCAA Tournament with New Mexico. In his first season at UCLA he has put up 13.5 points, 7.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
Tyler Bilodeau, F/C, UCLA
Status: Expected to Play - Knee
There was a lot of concern after Bilodeau went down with a knee injury in last Saturday's game against Purdue, but thankfully the tests revealed no structural damage. That would have been a huge bummer for the senior to not get a chance to close out his career right. It sounds like barring any setbacks Bilodeau will get that opportunity on Friday against UCF. He is having a terrific campaign putting up 17.6 points, 5.6 boards and 2.1 three-pointers per contest.
Silas Demary, G, Connecticut
Status: Questionable - Ankle
Demary is dealing with what is believed to be a "mild sprain" in his ankle. He went down on two different occasions in the second half of last Saturday's Big East Tournament Final against St. John's. Demary is expected to receive some imaging and will be re-evaluated later in the week. The Georgia transfer has had a great season averaging 10.9 points, 6.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. It would be a massive hit for No. 2 seed UConn if their point guard would not be able to go for their first-round game on Friday against Furman.
Jaylin Stewart, F, Connecticut
Status: Questionable - Knee
Stewart has not played since Feb. 21 due to a knee injury. The team has been hoping that he will be able to return for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That could be important especially given the uncertain nature of Demary's injury. Stewart has started 12 games this season and is averaging 4.5 PPG in 17.7 MPG.
South Region Key Injuries
Check out RotoWire's South Region Picks and Predictions.
Carter Welling, F/C, Clemson
Status: Out for Season - Knee
Welling suffered a torn ACL in last Wednesday's game against Wake Forest and will miss the rest of the season. It's brutal news for a Clemson team that was hoping to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. Welling was the team's second-leading scorer and top rebounder (10.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG). Nick Davidson and Jake Wahlin should continue to see extended minutes in the NCAA Tournament. Clemson takes on Iowa on Friday.
Caleb Wilson, F/C, North Carolina
Status: Out for Season - Thumb
Wilson struggled with a hand injury the second-half of the season and then ended up having to get surgery on a broken thumb which ended his season. With Wilson, who was averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, the Tar Heels were optimistic about a potential deep run in the tournament. Now they are a trendy pick to be upset in the opening round on Thursday against VCU. Henri Veesaar will look to keep putting up big numbers after going for 28 points and 17 boards against Clemson in the ACC Tournament last week.
Ethan Roberts, G, Pennsylvania
Status: Out - Concussion
Roberts missed the Ivy League Tournament with a concussion, but his team, and more notably TJ Power (44 points, 14 rebounds in the Final), were able to seal a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Roberts tried to give it a go this week, but he just wasn't ready. Penn will have their work cut out against one of the best offenses in the country down a starter who averages 16.9 PPG.
TJ Power, G, Pennsylvania
Status: Expected to Play - Illness
Power did not practice on Wednesday due to an illness, but is expected to play in Thursday's Round of 64 matchup with Illinois. With Roberts already being out, losing Power as well would basically be a death sentence for coach Fran McCaffery's squad. He might not be feeling 100 percent, but Power will need to put up some big numbers of the offensive side to give Penn a chance at pulling off the upset.
West Region Key Injuries
Check out RotoWire's West Region Picks and Predictions.
Nolan Winter, F/C, Wisconsin
Status: Will Play - Ankle
Winter had missed Wisconsin's last four games with an ankle injury. The goal was always to make sure he was in the best position possible for the NCAA Tournament. He will be available for Wisconsin's opening game against High Point. Aleksas Bieliauskas has done a nice job filling it at center, but Winter is the better interior defender that Wisconsin will need if they want to make a run.
Karter Knox, F, Arkansas
Status: Out - Knee
Knox has missed 11 of the last 12 games with a knee injury. He has been improving after surgery and was able to get off crutches a couple weeks ago. Coach John Calipari would love to have another solid piece on the wing to try to make a run again in the NCAA Tournament, but Knox will be unable to go for Arkansas' opening game against Hawaii. Billy Richmond has done a terrific job filling in since Knox has been out of the lineup.
Nick Pringle, F/C, Arkansas
Status: Questionable - Undisclosed
Pringle is dealing with an undisclosed injury and has only been able to practice in a limited fashion this week. He had started 33-of-34 games this season. Malique Ewin, who has been more productive of late than Pringle, would likely get the start against Hawaii if Pringle is unable to go.
Lassina Traore, F/C, Texas
Status: Out - Knee
Traore has not suited up since Feb. 3 due to a knee injury. There hasn't been many updates on his status over the last couple weeks, but he has already been ruled out for Tuesday's game against N.C. State in the First Four. Nic Codie has done a solid job filling in since Traore has gone down as the top big off the bench.
Braden Huff, F/C, Gonzaga
Status: Out - Knee
Huff has missed the last 15 games due to a knee injury. He has been doing some jogging and shooting in practice, but will not be available for the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Huff was fantastic before going down with injury averaging 17.8 points and 5.6 boards per contest. If Gonzaga is able to advance to the Sweet Sixteen and Huff could return in some capacity down the line, it could really shift the balance of power in the West Region. Huff and Graham Ike were arguably the best big-man duo in the country through the first half of the season.
Jalen Warley, G/F, Gonzaga
Status: Questionable - Thigh
Warley is battling a thigh contusion, but has been reportedly moving around well in practice this week. He missed the final two games of the regular season, but was able to return for the WCC Tournament. That said, Warley was not very effective in either of the two games Gonzaga played logging just six points over 39 total minutes. He will likely give it a shot, but Davis Fogle and Tyon Grant-Foster are playing bigger roles coming off the bench than Warley at this point in the season.
Midwest Region Key Injuries
Check out RotoWire's Midwest Region Picks and Predictions.
Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech
Status: Will Play - Groin
Anderson exited last week's loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinals with a groin injury, but he will be ready to go for Texas Tech's opening-round matchup against Akron on Friday. Anderson has had a special sophomore season averaging 18.9 points, 7.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 three-pointers per contest. He will need to be at his best if the Red Raiders are going to make another run like they did a season ago when they reached the Elite Eight.
LeJuan Watts, F, Texas Tech
Status: Expected to Play - Lower Leg
Watts was a victim of the slippery LED glass court during the first part of the Big 12 Tournament. He left the game and held his foot area after an awkward landing. While Watts did not return to the game, they were down by a hefty margin against Iowa State in the Quarterfinals at the time. Not much was said after the game about Watt's status, but the expectation is he will be ready to go by Friday's game. Watts has take on the Darrion Williams role this season for the Red Raiders and he will hope to have the same type of impact in the NCAA Tournament this year.
Aden Holloway, G, Alabama
Status: Doubtful - Not Injury Related
Holloway was arrested on a marijuana charge early Monday morning. Police conducted a residential search and found more than a pound of marijuana, paraphenalia and cash. He was later released with a $5,000 bond and has been "removed from campus" as the University of Alabama continues its investigation into the matter. It's unclear what Alabama hopes to uncover or when the investigation will be completed, but at this point it feels more likely than not that Holloway will not be available for coach Nate Oats in Friday's First Round game against Hofstra. Houston Mallette and Jalil Bethea would be the two players the Crimson Tide need to step up off the bench to help offset some of Holloway's 16.8 PPG.
Jayden Quaintance, F/C, Kentucky
Status: Not Expected to Play - Knee
There was some talk a couple weeks ago that Quaintance was pushing hard for a return in the postseason from knee swelling stemming from his ACL surgery in February of 2025. Coach Mark Pope said that Quaintance continues to make progress, but he is not expected to be ready to return in time for Kentucky's opening round game on Friday against Santa Clara.
Jordan Ross, G, Georgia
Status: Questionable - Undisclosed
Ross popped up on the injury report and was listed as questionable with an undisclosed issue. Ross was the Bulldog's starter for much of the season with 25 starts, but has come off the bench as of late in favor of Marcus Millender, who provides much more of a scoring threat. Nevertheless, Georgia would still like to have Ross as an option against a Saint Louis team who was of the most efficient offenses and defenses for a large chunk of the regular season.
Our college basketball injury report also keeps track of injuries in real-time throughout the day, so be sure to bookmark this page to stay up to date with the latest news before brackets lock.
