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Key March Madness Injuries and Absences to Know for First Round of 2024 NCAA Tournament
by Sascha Paruk in College Basketball
Updated Mar 20, 2024 · 7:02 PM PDT
Mar 9, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1) reacts after a call during the first half against the Houston Cougars at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY SportsSeveral stars are battling injuries as 2024 March Madness beginsKansas’ top-two scorers both missed the Jayhawks’ last game (a 72-52 loss to Cincinnati)See all the 2024 March Madness injuries to know before the first round begins on Thursday
The nature of the sport, a litany of teams in the 2024 NCAA Tournament are dealing with significant injuries to key contributors as the first round approaches.
The table below lists all the notable March Madness injuries and absences ahead of the first round on Thursday, March 21. The table is organized alphabetically, first by team and then by player. Note that the table below does not include anyone who played fewer than five games this season.
As coaches provide clarity on their players’ status over the next 48 hours, the table below will be updated.
March Madness Injury Report
| Team | Player (Pos,) | Stats | Injury | Game Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn | Lior Berman (G) | 28 GP, 1.7 PPG | Knee | Out |
| Baylor | Langston Love (G) | 24 GP, 11.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG | Knee | Questionable |
| BYU | Aly Khalifa (C) | 28 GP, 5.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.1 APG | Ankle | Questionable |
| Clemson | Bas Leyte (F) | 20 GP, 0.8 PPG, 0.8 RPG | Shoulder | Out |
| Colorado | Julian Hammond III (G) | 24 GP, 7.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG | Knee | Out |
| Duke | Caleb Foster (G) | 27 GP, 7.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.1 APG | Foot | Out |
| Duquesne | Tre Williams (C) | 26 GP, 3.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG | Shoulder | Out |
| Florida | Micah Handlogten (C) | 33 GP, 5.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG | Leg | Out |
| Florida Atlantic | Tre Carroll (F) | 24 GP, 4.0 PPG, 1.8 RPG | Arm | Out |
| Houston | Joseph Tugler (F) | 28 GP, 3.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG | Foot | Out |
| Houston | Ramon Walker Jr (G) | 24 GP, 2.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG | Knee | Out |
| Houston | Terrance Arceneaux (G) | 11 GP, 5.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG | Achilles | Out |
| Howard | Dom Campbell (F) | 25 GP, 7.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG | Concussion | Questionable |
| Howard | Ose Okojie (G) | 18 GP, 4.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG | Undisclosed | Questionable |
| Howard | Shy Odom (F) | 19 GP, 8.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.4 APG | Back | Questionable |
| James Madison | Quincy Allen (F) | 8 GP, 3.8 PPG | Undisclosed | Out |
| Kansas | Hunter Dickinson (C) | 31 GP, 18.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.2 APG | Shoulder | Probable |
| Kansas | Kevin McCullar Jr (G) | 26. GP, 18.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.1 APG | Knee | Out |
| Marquette | Chase Ross (G) | 29 GP, 6.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG | Leg | Probable |
| Marquette | Oso Ighodaro (F) | 33 GP, 14.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.9 APG | Knee | Probable |
| Marquette | Sean Jones (G) | 16 GP, 5.8 PPG, 2.0 APG | Knee | Out |
| Marquette | Tyler Kolek (G) | 28 GP, 15.0 PPG, 7.6 APG, 4.7 RPG | Oblique | Questionable |
| Michigan St. | Jeremy Fears Jr (G) | 12 GP, 3.5 PPG, 3.3 APG | Leg | Out |
| Mississippi St. | Andrew Taylor (G) | 7 GP, 3.9 PPG | Personal | Out |
| NC State | Dennis Parker Jr (G) | 29 GP, 4.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG | Illness | Doubtful |
| NC State | LJ Thomas (G) | 12 GP, 2.6 PPG | Undisclosed | Out |
| Nebraska | CJ Wilcher (G) | 32 GP, 7.9 PPG, 1.5 RPG | Illness | Questionable |
| Nebraska | Eli Rice (G) | 17 GP, 4.2 PPG, 1.6 RPG | Ankle | Out |
| Nevada | Hunter McIntosh (G) | 32 GP, 5.9 PPG, 1.3 APG | Knee | Questionable |
| Northwestern | Matthew Nicholson (C) | 29 GP, 5.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG | Leg | Out |
| Northwestern | Ty Berry (G) | 23 GP, 11.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG | Knee | Out |
| Oakland | Isaiah Jones (G) | 31 GP, 5.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.6 APG | Ankle | Questionable |
| Oregon | Jesse Zarzuela (G) | 5 GP, 10.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.2 APG | Ankle | Out |
| Oregon | Keeshawn Barthelemy (G) | 18 GP, 7.9 PPG, 2.3 APG, 2.2 RPG | Leg | Out |
| Oregon | Nate Bittle (C) | 5 GP, 10.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG | Illness | Out |
| Saint Mary’s | Harry Wessels (C) | 28 GP, 4.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG | Arm | Questionable |
| Saint Mary’s | Joshua Jefferson (F) | 26 GP, 10.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.3 APG | Knee | Out |
| South Carolina | Myles Stute (F) | 26 GP, 8.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG | Hip | Questionable |
| Texas A&M | Bryce Lindsay (G) | 8 GP, 1.8 PPG | Undisclosed | Out |
| Texas Tech | Darrion Williams (F) | 32 GP, 11.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG | Ankle | Questionable |
| Texas Tech | Devan Cambridge (F) | 8 GP, 10.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG | Knee | Out |
| Texas Tech | KyeRon Lindsay (G) | 9 GP, 2.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG | Illness | Questionable |
| Texas Tech | Warren Washington (F) | 24 GP, 9.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.8 APG | Foot | Out |
| Utah State | Max Agbonkpolo (F) | 10 GP, 5.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG | Foot | Out |
| Vermont | Max Veretto (F) | 28 GP, 9.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG | Shoulder | Out |
| Wagner | Rob Taylor II (F) | 8 GP, 5.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG | Undisclosed | Questionable |
| Wagner | Zaire Williams (G) | 9 GP, 9.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG | Knee | Out |
| Washington State | Joseph Yesufu (G) | 6 GP, 6.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG | Hip | Out |
| Western Kentucky | Dontaie Allen (G) | 32 GP, 8.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG | Knee | Questionable |
| Western Kentucky | Jalen Jackson (G) | 10 GP, 4.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG | Foot | Out |
| Wisconsin | Isaac Lindsey (G) | 16 GP, 0.6 PPG | Undisclosed | Questionable |
Table last updated at 9:56 pm ET, March 20.
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Kansas Dealing With Biggest Injury Concerns
There is no doubt which team has the biggest injury concerns heading into the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Kansas was without its top-two scorers and rebounders – Kevin McCullar Jr (18.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.1 APG) and Hunter Dickinson (18.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG) – in its first game of the Big 12 Tournament against Cincinnati, and the Jayhawks were embarrassed 72-52.
Dickinson suffered a dislocated shoulder in the last game of the regular season at Houston (a horrendous 76-46 setback) after scoring 11 points in 23 minutes with six rebounds.
McCullar, who is battling a knee injury, didn’t score a point in 15 minutes against the Cougars before sitting out the loss to Cincinnati. McCullar has missed six games this season and the Jayhawks are just 3-3 straight-up without him. [Editor’s note: McCullar was ruled out for the season on Wednesday, March 20.]
The loss to Cincinnati was the first game that Dickinson had missed this season.
Kansas heads into the first round as a #4 seed in the March Madness bracket and will face #13 Samford in Salt Lake City in the Midwest Region on Thursday. The Jayhawks opened as 8.5-point favorites, and the line has come down to eight flat in the last 18 hours.
While oddsmakers may not see the injuries as a huge impediment to getting past the first round, they are clearly coming into play in the Final Four odds: Kansas is just the sixth-favorite to win the Midwest at +1900, behind #1 Purdue (+165), #2 Tennessee (+330), #3 Creighton (+340), #5 Gonzaga (+650) and #7 Texas (+1800).
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Marquette Stars Laboring
The other team that jumps out when looking at the injury reports are the Marquette Golden Eagles, the #2 seed in the South Region.
Senior point guard Tyler Kolek (15.0 PPG, 7.6 APG, 4.7 RPG) hasn’t played since Feb. 28 due to an oblique strain. The good news is that head coach Shaka Smart said “we’re planning on him playing on Friday”.
"We're planning on him playing on Friday. He does have to go through a progression starting in practice on Tuesday. As long as everything goes well, he will be in uniform on Friday."
—@MarquetteMBB head coach Shaka Smart on the status of Tyler Kolek pic.twitter.com/Ul4G9Uh8wW
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 18, 2024
Marquette was 22-6 before Kolek’s injury and went just 3-3 without him, including two setbacks to #1 overall seed and defending national champion UConn (a 75-67 home loss in on March 6 and 73-57 neutral-court setback in the Big East Tournament title game last Saturday).
Oso Ighodaro, the team’s leading rebounder and third-leading scorer (14.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG), left the Big East title game with a knee injury with roughly seven minutes to play. Smart downplayed the forward’s injury, saying “[he]’ll be out there [on Friday].”
Marquette opens the NCAA Tournament against #15 Western Kentucky on Friday in Indianapolis. The Golden Eagles were 15.5-point favorites in the opening March Madness first-round odds yesterday, but are now just 14-point chalk.
Like the Jayhawks in the Midwest, Marquette’s Final Four odds have taken a hit. Smart’s team is listed at +550 to win the South, well behind #1 Houston (+150) and also trailing #4 Duke (+295). They currently sit 11th in the March Madness championship odds at +2571.
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