As the No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones look to continue their 2026 NCAA Tournament run, a wrench was thrown into their plans by way of an injury to perhaps their best player.
F Joshua Jefferson is banged up, which comes at an especially inopportune time. ISU faces No. 7 Kentucky at 2:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, bringing Jefferson’s availability into serious question.
With that in mind, let’s dive into the latest Joshua Jefferson injury update, also weaving in how it could impact PrizePicks player projections for today’s Kentucky vs. Iowa State game.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Joshua Jefferson Injury Update vs. Kentucky in NCAA Tournament
Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson (ankle) is here at the arena in St. Louis on crutches and in a boot.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 21, 2026
Seems very doubtful that he will play on Sunday against Kentucky.
Suffered the injury on Friday against Tennessee State.
Averages 16.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 4.8 APG.
In Iowa State’s first-round win over Tennessee State on Friday, Jefferson exited with a left ankle injury. He didn’t return to action after three minutes of play, later being spotted in a walking boot.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger provided an update on Jefferson’s status. He said it “appears unlikely” that his top option will be able to suit up vs. Kentucky, but the team would “never want to rule anything out.”
It’s an uninspiring outlook, to say the least, also jiving with national reporting of Jefferson being unlikely to play.
In 35 games this season, Jefferson has truly come into his own as a player. The senior forward averages 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 47.1% from the field and 34.5% from deep.
UPDATE: Per Jeff Goodman, Jefferson is OUT against Kentucky.
Joshua Jefferson Injury Impact: Which Iowa State Players to Target?
If Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson can’t go… this changes everything.
— Peter Newmann (@petenewmann) March 20, 2026
With him on the court, Iowa State plays like the best team in the country.
Without him? They drop to 101st.
That’s the 3rd-biggest net rating swing in the Big 12.
And he just left with an ankle injury. 😳 pic.twitter.com/7oecClbhLc
Even with Jefferson hurt, the Cyclones are still favored by 4.5 points on PrizePicks Team Picks and return a 1.42x payout with an outright victory. If they are to take down the Wildcats, they may need some high-level contributions from different faces.
It could take multiple pieces to replace some of Jefferson’s production. At the lower level, someone like freshman guard Killyan Toure (24.9 minutes per game, 8.5 PPG) might see more shot opportunities. Fellow guard Nate Heise (24.3 MPG, 5.2 PPG), a sixth-year senior, is coming off a 22-point performance on Friday.
The direct recipient of an increased workload, however, may be Milan Momcilovic. Not only does the sharpshooter have a frame much more comparable to Jefferson’s at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, but he’s already one of the leading players on the Cyclones.
The Wisconsin native averages 17.1 PPG, making 51.3% of his field goals and an otherworldly 49.4% of his 3-point tries. In the opening round of the tourney, he went for 17 points on 11 shots.
According to Bart Torvik, 430 players have a usage rate of at least 18% while logging 75% or more of their team’s minutes. Momcilovic ranks first among that group in offensive rating (139.0) and is second in true shooting percentage (70.1%).
Milan Momcilovic Projections, Picks vs. Kentucky
Here are some top Milan Momcilovic projections vs. Kentucky tonight, via PrizePicks.
- 16.5 Points
- 4 Rebounds
- 0.5 Assists (Goblin)
- 21.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- 25 Fantasy Score
- And More
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make Kentucky vs. Iowa State Picks on PrizePicks
Even with Joshua Jefferson hobbled, there are still plenty of ways to get in on the Kentucky vs. Iowa State action for Sunday. The NCAA Tournament presents ample opportunities to turn predictions into earnings.
You can make your hoops picks on PrizePicks, earning real-money rewards if you’re right. Just pick at least two players and predict More or Less on their projected stats.
With PrizePicks Team Picks, make predictions on game winners, spreads, over/unders, and more — now available in 35 states!
Keep it locked in here with the Playbook for continued college basketball news, picks, and analysis every day.
Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state.Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results.Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.
