You don’t amass a 32-2 record if injuries are an issue. Villanova, the top seed in the East Regional, had seven of its top eight players play in all 34 games this season. Leading scorer Darrun Hilliard was the only one in the group to miss a game, sitting out a December contest with a concussion. Junior forward Ryan Arcidiacono, the co-Big East Player of the Year, is nursing a rib injury that may be the culprit behind his recent cold spell.
Virginia’s Justin Anderson has been plagued by the injury bug and his health will go a long way towards the second-seeded Cavaliers advancing. Anderson originally missed time with a fractured finger but underwent an appendectomy while sidelined. He returned for the final two games ACC tournament but failed to score in either game.
Oklahoma appears to be getting healthy at the right time as multiple players have been banged up at various points of the season. Isaiah Cousins played through a painful sprained wrist and his back up Frank Booker was bothered by a slightly herniated disc in his back for a majority of the year. Sophomore starter Jordan Woodard suffered a hip pointer in late February but remained a fixture in the lineup. While these injuries may limit their offensive production, the Sooners remain dangerous on the defensive end.
Louisville’s problems haven’t been health-related. Starting point guard Chris Jones was dismissed from the team in late February for disciplinary reasons. The same can’t be said for their opponent UC Irvine. The Anteaters lost three different starters at various points of the year as Mamadou Ndiaye (foot), Luke Nelson (face) and Alex (foot) sustained injuries. Reserve John Ryan completed the foot injury trifecta and is questionable entering the tournament. Guard Dominique Dunning is also a question mark with a knee injury.
If Northern Iowa falls victim to the dreaded 5-12 matchup, it won’t be because of health. The Panthers’ top nine players played in all 33 of their games and they will face Wyoming at full strength. The Cowboys will be waiting led by a fully healthy Larry Nance Jr. Nance battled mononucleosis during February. Wyoming did lose sophomore Trey Washington for the year following a preseason ankle injury but remain a real threat after winning the Mountain West title.
The Providence Friars received a big boost this year from a player recovering from injury. After rehabbing a torn labrum sophomore Kris Dunn is dishing out assists at a remarkable rate. However knee injuries have affected those on the receiving end of those passes with Carson Desrosiers and Ted Bancroft missing time and Rodney Bullock sitting for the year with a torn ACL. Desrosiers is the biggest cause for concern as his knee has been drained multiple times throughout the year. The Friars will take on a Dayton team that outlasted a Boise State squad decimated by injury on Wednesday. The Flyers have played a majority of the season without reserve point guard Ryan Bass who is recovering from concussion-related symtoms.
After being ravaged by injuries last year, the Michigan State Spartans endured another season of sprains, strains, and breaks. Senior Branden Dawson suffered a non-displaced wrist fracture but was able to return after missing two games. Dawson also missed time with a head injury. Alvin Ellis recovered from an early season ankle sprain but the team lost freshman Javon Bess to a stress fracture in his foot.
The Spartans will get little sympathy from their opponent as Georgia has struggled with injuries of their own. The Bulldogs starters last 20 games to injury this season. Marcus Thornton missed a pair of game with a concussion and an Achilles injury has limited Juwan Parker since mid-January. Parker aggravated the injury against the Razorbacks and, along with guard Kenny Gaines (foot sprain), enters the postseason likely limited. A healthy Georgia squad would be a handful but that hasn’t happened in months.
North Carolina State got good news just days ahead of their matchup with LSU. Guard Anthony Barber was cleared to play following a violent collision with Duke forward Amile Jefferson. The impact left Barber with spasms in his neck muscles though all scans taken of his head and neck came back normal. The Wolfpack will challenge a Tigers team that hopes Jordan Mickey has fully recovered from a shoulder injury. The sophomore forward missed the team’s regular season finale after bruising his shoulder against Tennessee and appeared limited in the SEC tournament, though foul trouble complicated things. Point guard Josh Gray has given no indication that his early season ankle sprain is a current problem.
Albany is one of the feel-good stories of the tournament and enters healthy and looking to continue their current seven-game win streak. The Belmont Bruins also sport a clean bill of health with high-scoring Craig Bradshaw clearly over a calf strain that cost him three games in December.
Lafayette is another team sitting at the bottom of the bracket with the advantage of good health. The team’s point guard and leading assist man Nick Lindner recovered from minor issues and will lead the Leopards upset bid over top-ranked Villanova.