Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson Suffers Ankle Injury in NCAA Tournament Win

ST. LOUIS — Iowa State senior forward Joshua Jefferson sprained his left ankle during the Cyclones’ 108-74 first-round NCAA Tournament victory over Tennessee State on Friday, March 20, 2026, at the Enterprise Center. ESPN and Yahoo Sports reported on the injury.

Injury Details and Initial Assessment

The injury occurred less than three minutes into the game as Jefferson was driving to the rim for a layup. He landed awkwardly, causing his left ankle to give out. Jefferson immediately experienced pain and was helped off the court by trainers. An X-ray taken at the Enterprise Center revealed no fracture, according to Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger. ESPN

“I felt like I was back there for a long time just going through pain, but I was happy nothing came back serious,” Jefferson said, via ESPN. “So just take that information back and then strive to get healthy.”

Impact on the Game and Team Response

Despite Jefferson’s early exit, Iowa State dominated Tennessee State, securing a decisive victory. Following Jefferson’s injury, the Cyclones embarked on a 23-0 run, demonstrating their depth and resilience. ESPN

Freshman guard Killyan Toure stepped up significantly, scoring a career-high 25 points and recording his first career double-double with 11 rebounds. Nate Heise added 22 points, exceeding his previous career high, while Milan Momcilovic contributed 17 points. ESPN

Looking Ahead to Kentucky

Jefferson’s status for Iowa State’s second-round matchup against seventh-seeded Kentucky on Sunday is uncertain. The team will continue to evaluate his ankle over the next two days. ESPN

“We’ll continue to reevaluate over the next day or two and just observe where things are when we get to Sunday and we figure out what time we play,” said Otzelberger. ESPN

Jefferson expressed his determination to return to action as soon as possible. “I’m gonna hit my rehab hard,” he said. Yahoo Sports