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.
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Joshua Jefferson Injury Update vs. Kentucky in NCAA Tournament
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.
Joshua Jefferson Injury Impact: Which Iowa State Players to Target?
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
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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!
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