The East Region of the 2014 NCAA Tournament would arguably qualify as the healthiest region if not for the injury woes of Michigan State.
The Spartans have been beset by injury all season with their four top scorers all missing at least three games to injury. The team was 18-1 before Branden Dawson slammed his hand on a table during a film session. The display of frustration was costly as he broke his hand and ultimately needed surgery to stabilize the fracture. The team went 4-5 in his nine-game absence. Keith Appling missed three of those games as well nursing a right wrist injury. Leading scorer Gary Harris missed three games early in the year with an ankle injury and suffered a stinger during the Big Ten Conference Tournament. Harris, who has a lengthy history of shoulder problems, expects to play against Delaware. Adrien Payne, the team’s second leading scorer and rebounder, has been slowed all season by plantar fasciitis in his right foot. However the team appears to have finally escaped the injury bug and remains a favorite to represent the region in the Final Four.
Harvard tried to challenge Michigan State’s injury track record. Center Kenyatta Smith played a total of two minutes this year before breaking a bone his right foot. Forward Jonah Travis suffered a concussion in a win over Dartmouth and missed two straight games. The Crimson’s scariest injury was to leading scorer Wesley Saunders who suffered a hyperextended knee. No major ligament damage occurred and he was able to return after missing two games. Similar to Michigan State, the Crimson is now healthy and will challenge a Cincinnati team at full strength.
The remaining teams in the East have endured injury as well but all have been minor in comparison. The Tarheels have dealt with ankle injuries to starters Kennedy Meeks and Leslie McDonald as well as thumb and thigh injuries to Marcus Paige. All three will be available for UNC’s first round matchup against Providence.
The Friars qualified for the tournament despite Ricky Ledo’s departure for the NBA and Kris Dunn’s season-ending shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum. The talented duo of Ledo and Dunn did not pan out as hoped but the remaining Providence players are healthy and hoping for an upset.
The top-ranked Virginia Cavaliers are a picture of health and will faceoff against the equally healthy Coastal Carolina. UConn’s DeAndre Daniels overcame an early season right ankle sprain to help the Huskies grab the seven seed, where they hope to advance past a healthy Saint Joseph’s team.
The second seeded Villanova Wildcats and the third ranked Iowa State Cyclones are also looking to make deep runs with injury-free squads. Six of Iowa State’s seven main rotation players have appeared in all 33 games with leading scorer Melvin Ejim the only exception. He missed the first two games the year recovering from a minor knee injury.