The Tennessee Volunteers are getting ready for their Sweet Sixteen clash on Friday night in Chicago, where they’ll take on the Iowa State Cyclones.
The Cyclones come into the game with a bit of momentum. After losing 4 of 7, they come in having won 5 of their last 6, including winning both NCAA Tournament games handily. They bounced Kentucky 82-63 in the second round with a 51-33 second half.
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Perhaps most impressively, they rolled the Wildcats without their star player, forward Joshua Jefferson. The 6-9 standout suffered an ankle injury early in the Cyclones’ tournament opener against Tennessee State and missed the game against Kentucky.
Will he be back for Friday night against the Vols? Per his head coach, T.J. Otzelberger, it’ll be a game time decision.
It goes without saying that Jefferson is very important to the Cyclones. He’s narrowly second on the team in scoring (16.4 PPG) and assists (4.8) but leads the team by a wide margin in rebounds (7.4). He’s clearly an important piece of their offense who scores, cleans up the glass, and creates opportunities for other teammates.
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But ankle injuries, as Tennessee fans know with Nate Ament, are tricky things and particularly debilitating on a basketball court with all the cutting and constant motion.
Iowa State proved they can win without him, and they’ll be a major handful regardless, but if Jefferson is out or clearly limited, then the Vols’ chances of reaching their third straight Elite Eight certainly get a bump.
