Joshua Jefferson injury update: Iowa State will be without one of its most important players as it faces Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Star forward Joshua Jefferson has officially been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup, as per the latest injury report.
What happened to Joshua Jefferson?
Jefferson’s absence comes after he injured his left ankle less than three minutes into Iowa State’s opening-round game against Tennessee State. The forward appeared to twist his ankle awkwardly while landing after attempting a layup. He was unable to put weight on his left foot and had to be helped off the court by staff.
He did not return to the game and was later seen on crutches.
Latest update from team
Heading into Sunday, signs had already pointed toward Jefferson missing the game. He was seen wearing a walking boot and using a knee scooter a day before the contest.
Head coach TJ Otzelberger addressed the challenge. “We’ve got so much confidence in this group and guys that can step up on a given night. Obviously when you have a guy like Joshua out, it’s going to be imperative that other guys step in,” he said.
Big loss for Cyclones’ Sweet 16 push
The 6-foot-8 forward averages 16.4 points, a team-high 7.4 rebounds along with 4.8 assists for the second-seeded Cyclones (28-7), who are shooting for their third Sweet 16 berth in five years under head coach T.J. Otzelberger.
Seventh-seeded Kentucky (22-13) seeks its second consecutive Sweet 16 spot. The Wildcats have not gone past the regional semifinals since 2019.
With Jefferson sidelined, Iowa State will now rely on its supporting cast to step up against a strong Kentucky side.
Jefferson said he was doing “as much rehab as I can,” but time is not on his side.
“A lot of compression and then moving it around,” Jefferson said, when asked what he can do to help his recovery. “The best thing right now is to get it moving as much as I can, and then start to be able to walk again.”
