Iowa State Faces Kentucky Without Jefferson

0:00On March 22nd, Iowa State grabbed a first-round victory in the 2026 men's NCAA tournament, but it came at a cost with second leading. Score Joshua Jefferson, logging just three minutes before an ankle injury, knocked him out. The cyclones now have a couple days off before their matchup against Kentucky on Sunday, sparking some early hopes that he could bounce back in time. Jefferson's absence things for a team that relies on his scoring, putting extra pressure on the rest of the roster in this high-stakes bracket, coach T.J. Ozzelberger and recent reports confirm Jefferson won't play in that next game, leaving Iowa State to push forward, shorthanded. If they can advance to the sweet 16, extra recovery time might get him back on the floor for what's next.