Key March Madness Injuries To Know Before Betting First Round, Including Duke's Cooper Flagg
Written By Eli Hershkovich | Last Updated at August 25, 2025
While the field of March Madness odds is finalized, monitoring injuries is crucial. Below, you'll find which NCAA tournament injuries could impact your March Madness bets. We highly recommend bookmarking this article for an updated injury report tomorrow.
Bettors can keep track of the action with our free printable bracket, opening first-round odds and first-round bets. Click any national title odds below to place a bet now.
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March Madness injuries: Will Cooper Flagg & j'wan roberts play?
Below is the latest injury news, whether a player is in the starting lineup or a key reverse. If his status is "out," he's presumably done for the entire NCAA tournament.
Flagg, the Wooden Award favorite before suffering an ankle injury in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, will reportedly start in Duke’s first-round tilt against Mount Saint Mary’s. Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer said the “goal” is for Flagg to play on Friday.
In the last two games, fellow one-seed Houston was without Roberts, an integral low-post presence and its leading rebounder (6.3 RPG).
He sat out the Big 12 tournament championship against Arizona, wearing a walking boot while on the bench. Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson noted that Roberts will be reevaluated before the first round and is currently receiving treatment.
If he suits up during the Big Dance, he'll likely operate at less than 100%. I expect him to miss at least one contest, as Houston should have its way with SIU Edwardsville. Nevertheless, his continued absence would become a bigger storyline versus No. 8 seed Gonzaga or No. 9 seed Georgia.
Alabama's Missing Piece?
After returning most of their key personnel, the Crimson Tide were among the preseason title favorites. Their odds at the best sports betting sites weren't surprising, given that their season ended with losing to eventual champion UConn in the Final Four.
However, Nate Oats' squad was dealt a substantial blow early in the campaign when starting guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. was lost for the remainder of the season due to an Achilles injury. Entering the NCAA tournament, veteran forward Grant Nelson is also banged up, listed as questionable with a knee injury.
Check out additional March Madness injuries below.
NCAA Tournament Injuries By Team
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 Out Arkansas: Boogie Fland (G) 18 GP, 15.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.7 APG Hand Probable 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 Probable 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 Probable Creighton: Pop Isaacs (G) 8 GP, 31.8 MPG, 16.3 PPG Hip Out Duke: Cooper Flagg (F) 18.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.1 APG Ankle GTD Duke: Maliq Brown (F) 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 Probable 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 Probable 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 Out 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 (G) 30 GP, 13.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG Ankle Probable 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 Mississippi State: Kanye Clary (G) 7 GP, 18.7 MPG, 6.3 PPG Leg Out Missouri: Mark Mitchell (F) 32 GP, 14.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.9 APG Knee Probable Mount St Mary’s: Carmelo Pacheco (G) 30 GP, 28.2 MPG, 9.5 PPG Finger Out Mount 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 Saint 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 Abdomen 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 Probable 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 Out
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Where Can You Bet On College Basketball Player Props?
Below is the list of states that forbid gambling on college basketball player props:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
To boot, Illinois prohibits betting on local schools or in-state player props. The remaining states with legal online sportsbooks, such as North Carolina, authorize wagering on college basketball player prop odds, including local teams.
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