There's a race against time for Iowa State and head coach T.J. Otzelberger to see if All-American big man Joshua Jefferson is going to be able to play or not. On Friday, the elite playmaker went down with what looked to be a serious ankle injury.
Luckily for the Cyclones, it was revealed that Jefferson is dealing with a low-ankle sprain - X-rays were negative. It has been on the table for Jefferson to still suit up and take on the Wildcats, but it feels like a long shot. The betting odds for Kentucky vs. Iowa State seem to hint that he may not be able to go, as the line has dropped from 5.5 to 4.5. On top of that, Jeff Goodman has just reported that it's 'unlikely' Jefferson will play. Obviously, that's not what the Iowa State faithful wanted to see:
Iowa State's Joshua Jefferson (ankle) is unlikely to play tomorrow against Kentucky, source told @TheFieldOf68.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 21, 2026
Jefferson will continue to receive treatment prior to the game, but the chances of him being able to play against the Wildcats on Sunday are slim.
Will Joshua Jefferson play vs. Kentucky? Iowa State star not expected to be ready to go
In the win on Friday, Jefferson was only able to play three minutes before he landed awkwardly on his ankle and fell to the ground in a ton of pain. He made his way off the court gingerly with the assistance of team trainers.
Luckily, Jefferson avoided a high-ankle sprain, but with such a quick turnaround for Iowa State's next game, it's not a surprise at all that Goodman is reporting he's not expected to be healthy enough to suit up and face Kentucky. This of course is a bummer for the Cyclones.
Otzelberger is going to be careful and not rush a decision too. We might not find out until right before tipoff whether or not Jefferson is going to be available, as Goodman added there's a 'slim chance' that Iowa State will be able to rely on him to be the game-changer that he normally is.
For now, no one should expect him to be in action. Should Iowa State win and move on, all eyes will turn to Jefferson's potential availability for the Sweet 16. First, a tough matchup with Kentucky will take place and this latest news on JJ could turn out to be a huge benefit for Mark Pope and his staff.