Updated March Madness Injuries Know for First Round of 2025 NCAA Tournament

Updated: March 20, 2025 at 9:28 am EDT

Published: March 19, 2025

Iowa State men's basketball coach TJ Otzelberger talking to guard Keshon Gilbert — Iowa State men's basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger talks to Keshon Gilbert (10) at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 15, 2025 in Ames, Iowa.

Cooper Flagg’s “goal” is to play in the first round on Friday for his Duke Blue Devils
Keshon Gilbert is out for Iowa State; Grant Nelson remains questionable for Alabama
Below, see the updated 2025 March Madness injuries to know before making your bracket picks

Every season, without fail, several March Madness teams are battling injuries as the NCAA Tournament approaches. This year is no different, and is arguably busier than most, with the likes of Duke’s Cooper Flagg going down in the ACC Tournament. The table below lists all the key March Madness injuries to know before filling out your brackets and/or making your bets. Players who suited up for fewer than five games are not included in the table as their presence/absence would not have had a demonstrable impact on their team’s season. I’ve also opted to exclude most player who averaged fewer than five minutes per game, regardless of games played.

Note that, in order to save space, I use the abbreviation “GTD” as a stand in for an injury designation of “questionable”. “Prob.” stands for probable.

March Madness Injuries (2025)

Team/Player	Stats	Injury	Status
Alabama: Grant Nelson (F)	33 GP, 11.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.6 APG	Knee	GTD
Alabama: Latrell Wrightsell Jr (G)	8 GP, 11.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG 2.0 APG	Achilles	Out
Alabama State: Jalen Keago (G)	19 GP, 11.7 MP, 4.2 PPG	Unknown	Out
Arizona: Motiejus Krivas (C)	8 GP, 15.9 MPG, 7.9 PPG	Leg	Out
Arkansas: Adou Thiero (F)	26 GP, 15.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.0 APG	Knee	GTD
Arkansas: Boogie Fland (G)	18 GP, 15.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.7 APG	Hand	GTD
Baylor: Josh Ojianwuna (F)	23 GP, 24.6 MPG, 7.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG	Knee	Out
Baylor: Langston Love (G)	18 GP, 8.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.2 APG	Ankle	GTD
BYU: Kanon Catchings (F)	29 GP, 18.4 MPG, 7.6 PPG, 2.3 RPG	Knee	GTD
Clemson: Dillon Hunter (G)	30 GP, 22.5 MPG, 5.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG	Hand	Out
Creighton: Fedor Zugic (G)	20 GP, 11.5 MPG, 4.3 PPG	Ankle	Prob.
Creighton: Pop Isaacs (G)	8 GP, 31.8 MPG, 16.3 PPG	Hip	Out
Duke: Cooper Flagg (G)	18.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.1 APG	Ankle	GTD
Duke: Maliq Brown (G)	23 GP, 16.9 MPG, 2.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG	Shoulder	GTD
Florida: Sam Alexis (F)	23 GP, 12.3 MPG, 4.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG	Ankle	Out
Houston: J’Wan Roberts (F)	31 GP, 10.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG	Ankle	GTD
Houston: Ramon Walker (G)	8 GP 11.3 MPG, 2.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG	Hand	Out
Iowa State: Keshon Gilbert (G)	29 GP, 13.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.1 APG	Groin	Out
Iowa State: Tamin Lipsey (G)	32 GP, 10.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 3.2 APG	Groin	GTD
Kansas: Shakeel Moore (G)	19 GP, 14.4 MPG, 3.8 PPG	Foot	GTD
Kentucky: Jaxson Robinson (G)	24 GP, 13.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.7 APG	Wrist	Out
Kentucky: Kerr Kriisa (G)	9 GP, 17.3 MPG, 4.4 PPG, 3.8 APG	Foot	GTD
Kentucky: Lamont Butler	24 GP, 11.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG	Shoulder	Prob.
Liberty: Isaiah Ihnen (F)	11 GP, 10.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG	Knee	Out
Lipscomb: Dylan Faulkner (F)	15 GP, 10.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG	Foot	Out
Louisville: Kasean Pryor (F)	7 GP, 12.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG	Knee	Out
Louisville: Reyne Smith (F)	30 GP, 13.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG	Ankle	Prob.
Maryland: Braden Pierce (C)	5 GP, 7.2 MPG, 2.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG	Eye	Out
Memphis: Dante Harris (G)	16 GP, 11.7 MPG, 2.4 PPG	Ankle	Out
Memphis: Tyrese Hunter (G)	32 GP, 13.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3/6 APG	Foot	GTD
Michigan: Sam Walters (F)	23 GP, 12.7 MPG, 5.0 PPG	Back	GTD
Miss. State: Kanye Clary (G)	7 GP, 18.7 MPG, 6.3 PPG	Leg	Out
Missouri: Mark Mitchell (G)	32 GP, 14.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.9 APG	Knee	GTD
Mt St Mary’s: Carmelo Pacheco (G)	30 GP, 28.2 MPG, 9.5 PPG	Finger	GTD
Mt St Mary’s: Terrell Ard Jr (F)	21 GP, 10.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.2 APG	Achilles	Out
Oklahoma: Sam Godwin (F)	30 GP, 19.1 MPG, 6.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG	Knee	GTD
Robert Morris: Dilen Miller (G)	25 GP 11.9 MPG, 2.5 PPG	Unknown	GTD
SIUE: Darrion Baker (F)	10 GP, 15.1 MPG, 5.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG	Unknown	Out
St Francis (PA): Ace Talbert (G)	5 GP, 10.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG	Unknown	Out
St John’s: Brady Dunlap (F)	10 GP, 16.5 MPG, 5.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG	Abs	Out
St John’s: Jaiden Glover (G)	22 GP, 6.4 MPG, 2.2 PPG	Wrist	Out
Texas Tech: Chance McMillian (G)	30 GP, 14.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG	Upper body	GTD
Texas Tech: Darrion Williams (F)	30 GP, 14.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.7 APG	Unknown	GTD
Texas Tech: Eemeli Yalaho (F)	8 GP, 11.3 MPG, 3.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG	Upper body	GTD
Xavier: Trey Green (G)	9 GP, 11.0 MPG, 5.0 PPG	Unknown	GTD

Injury list last updated at 9:17 am ET, March 20. See SBD’s college basketball odds page for the latest spreads and totals for all NCAA Tournament games.

Memphis Could Be Without Tyrese Hunter

The last time anyone saw Tyrese Hunter, he still had a boot on his left leg. The 6’0 senior guard is third on the Tigers in scoring and second in assists. He’s also their most-effective three-point shooter, connecting at 40.1% on 182 attempts this season. Head coach Penny Hardaway didn’t sound optimistic when asked about Hunter this week.

Memphis is a #5 seed and starts its tournament against #12 Colorado State. They are the only single-digit seed that’s an underdog against a double-digit seed in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. That likely would have been the case whether Hunter was injured or not; CSU ranks seven spots ahead of Memphis at KenPom (43rd vs 50th).

Jwan Roberts Remains Questionable for Houston

Houston’s dominant run to the Big 12 regular-season (19-1) and tournament title was made all the more impressive late in the season when they cruised through BYU (74-54) and Arizona (82-74) without star forward Jwan Roberts (10.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG). The 6’8 senior missed the final two games of the Big 12 Tournament with an ankle injury.

As of 6:22 pm ET on Tuesday night, Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson hadn’t provided any clarity on whether Roberts would be in the lineup for #1 Houston’s first-round game against SIU Edwardsville on Thursday in Wichita (2pm ET). But Houston is a 28.5-point favorite nonetheless.

Cooper Flagg Should Be a Go for Duke

The injury on everyone’s mind as they fill out their printable March Madness bracket is Duke’s Cooper Flagg, who powered the Blue Devils to the #1 overall seed and is the odds-on favorite in the Wooden Award odds.

Flagg suffered an ugly ankle injury against Georgia Tech in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament and then sat out the semifinal and final, which Duke went onto win without their leader in points, assists, and rebounds.

The close up of Cooper Flagg’s injury is nasty. Hope he’s okay. pic.twitter.com/4tdoQGzvvs
— College Basketball Content (@CBBcontent) March 13, 2025

Latest reports out of Durham are that Flagg may be in the lineup for Duke’s first-round game against either American or Mount Saint Mary’s, who meet in the First Four on Wednesday. Head coach Jon Scheyer said the “goal” is for Flagg to play.

Keshon Gilbert Is Out for Iowa State

The biggest star who definitely won’t be in the lineup for his team’s first game of the 2025 NCAA Tournament is Iowa State standout Keshon Gilbert. The 6’4 senior point guard has been battling a groin injury for a while and has been officially shut down for the season. Without Gilbert, Iowa State lost in the Big 12 quarterfinals to BYU (96-92).

Tamin Lipsey, another key ISU starter, is also battling a groin injury, but his is less serious; the 6’1 junior guard missed ISU’s loss to BYU in the Big 12 Tournament but hasn’t been ruled out for the #3 Cyclones’ first-round game against #14 Lipscomb.

Iowa State catches a small break by playing on Friday, giving Lipsey an extra day to get back in game shape.

Alabama Is Missing Pieces from Last Year’s Final Four Team

The Crimson Tide were among the preseason national championship favorites and rightfully so. They were returning a ton of production from a team that just went to the Final Four, falling to goliath UConn. But the Tide suffered a big blow fairly early in the season when starting guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr was lost for the year due to an Achilles injury.

Entering the NCAA Tournament, forward Grant Nelson is also banged up, listed as questionable due to a knee injury.

The Tide still had a strong season sans Wrightsell, going 25-8 and 13-5 during their gruesome SEC schedule (third-best in the conference). But with Nelson limited to just ten minutes in the SEC Tournament semifinals, Alabama was routed 104-82 by eventual-winner Florida.

Kentucky Is Getting Healthier

Mark Pope’s all-transfer roster greatly exceeded expectations in the coach’s first year at Lexington. But the team lost former BYU star Jaxson Robinson to a season-ending wrist injury at the end of February. Robinson (13.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG) was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Otega Oweh (16.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG).

The Wildcats were also forced to play without point guard and third-leading scorer Lamont Butler (11.5 PPG, 4.3 APG) in nine (non-consecutive) games this season. Most-recently, the San Diego State transfer missed UK’s ugly 99-70 to Alabama in the quarters of the SEC Tournament due to a shoulder injury.

But all reports indicate that Butler is primed to be back in the lineup on Friday when #3 Kentucky faces #14 Troy in Milwaukee.

It’s also possible that UK will have Estonian guard Kerr Kriisa back in the lineup for the first time since their 90-89 OT win over gonzaga in early December. The 6’3 Arizona/West Virginia transfer averaged 4.4 PPG, 3.8 APG in 17.1 MPG over the first nine games of the season. He is listed as questionable due to a foot injury.

Interested in SBD’s other March Madness coverage? Be sure to check out:

Sascha Paruk

Managing Editor

Sascha has been working in the sports-betting industry since 2014, and quickly paired his strong writing skills with a burgeoning knowledge of probability and statistics. He holds an undergraduate degree in linguistics and a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia.

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