Several key players are either out or banged up heading into March Madness 2019
Justin Robinson is back for Virginia Tech, which was 17-3 with him in the lineup
Kansas State is expected to be without Dean Wade for a second consecutive NCAA Tournament
We’re on the eve of the NCAA Tournament as all of the madness begins tomorrow. Before you place your bets, though, make sure to check in on the latest injury news. There are some significant bumps and bruises that could impact the lines, so let’s run through the key injuries and the statuses of the players.
Tyus Battle, Syracuse Orange
| Injury | Is he going to play in the first round? | Timetable For Return |
|---|---|---|
| Sore Back | Expected To Play | Thursday |
Battle has been out for about a week with a sore back but it has been announced that he’ll be play on Thursday in Syracuse’s opening game of the NCAA Tournament. He missed two games in the ACC Tournament. The injury occurred in the second half of the Clemson loss when he fell on his tailbone.
Battle is vital to the Orange; he’s their leading scorer at 17.2 points per game. They’ve had a rough go of things down the stretch, dropping seven of their last 11 games, so he’ll have to be in fine form for them to advance past No. 9 Baylor.
Marcus Evans, VCU Rams
| Injury | Is he going to play in the first round? | Timetable For Return |
|---|---|---|
| Knee Injury | Expected To Play | Friday |
Evans is battling a knee injury that he suffered last Friday ten minutes into VCU’s A10 Tournament loss to Rhode Island. The good news is that an MRI on Saturday found no structural damage. He’s the team’s starting point guard, averaging 13.8 points, 3.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds.
More good news: VCU starts their tournament on Friday and not Thursday, so he gets an extra day to heal.
The latest update with Evans is that he’s been upgraded to probable for Friday’s game against Central Florida.
Dean Wade, Kansas State Wildcats
| Injury | Is he going to play in the first round? | Timetable For Return |
|---|---|---|
| Foot Injury | Doubtful | Miss NCAA Tournament |
No. 4 Kansas State will start their tournament on Friday against No. 13 UC Irvine, but the Wildcats will have to be careful. The Anteaters have won 16 straight and are red-hot entering the NCAA Tournament.
What we do know is that he sprained his foot in the Tennessee game and all MRI’s and x-rays came back negative. However, he’s seen a specialist, so something seems off. The latest news is that Coach John Calipari said Washington is expected to play on Thursday. Expect the team to be cautious given that they can beat Abilene Christian without him.
Jordan Caroline, Nevada Wolf Pack
| Injury | Is he going to play in the first round? | Timetable For Return |
|---|---|---|
| Achilles | Expected To Play | Thursday |
If the Wolf Pack are to beat No. 10 Florida on Thursday, they’re going to need the services of Jordan Caroline, who is second on the team in points per game (17.3) and leads the team in rebounds (9.6). He missed the Mountain West Tournament semifinal when Nevada lost to San Diego State.
Caroline has been battling an Achilles injury but it’s been mostly minor. It just flared up. Head Coach Eric Musselman said everything is fine and that Caroline will be 100% for Thursday’s game. What’s likely closer to the truth is that he’s going to play no matter what but we may or may not see this bother him.
Justin Robinson, Virginia Tech
| Injury | Is he going to play in the first round? | Timetable For Return |
|---|---|---|
| Foot Injury | Expected To Play | Thursday |
The Virginia Tech Hokies were 17-3 before they lost point guard Justin Robinson to a foot injury. They are just 7-5 since as he’s been out for 12 games. However, it was announced on Selection Sunday that he’s back for the NCAA Tournament.
According to the KenPom player ratings, Robinson ranks in the top five of player offensive rating of players who have a usage rate of 24%. The others are Zion Williams, Grant Williams, Cassius Winston and Kerry Blackshear, so that gives you an idea of just how valuable he is. The Hokies open their Tournament against the Saint Louis Billikens.
SBD’s Regional Previews
Odds to Win the West Region of 2019 March Madness Tournament
Duke Listed as Odds-On Favorite to Win East Region of March Madness Bracket
South Region Preview: Virginia Listed at +140 to Reach Final Four
Midwest Region Odds: UNC Given Worst Odds of #1 Seeds to Make Final Four
SBD’s Other March Madness coverage:
The Guide to Filling Out Your March Madness Bracket for Non-College Basketball Fans
The 5 Best Teams to Bet in 2019 March Madness Against the Spread
Head-to-Head Odds to Win More Games in the 2019 Men’s NCAA Tournament
Odds on Which Conference Will Win the 2019 NCAA Tournament
Odds to Make the Sweet 16 in 2019 March Madness Tournament
Kentucky Given Best NCAA Tournament Odds Among Non-No. 1 Seeds
Gonzaga Given Second-Best Odds to Win 2019 March Madness After Selection Sunday
Duke Enters 2019 March Madness Tournament as Heavy Favorite
Odds Say Two #1 Seeds Make 2019 NCAA Men’s Final Four
Over/Under Sum of Seeds in 2019 Final Four Set at 10.5
5 NCAA Men’s Tournament Round of 64 Game Props to Bet