Late injuries roil brackets
Conference‑tournament injuries scrambled lineups ahead of Selection Sunday — Michigan lost a key reserve, Duke lost two starters, Arizona’s Bradley suffered a hand injury, and Texas Tech’s top player is out, all shaking bubble and seeding scenarios thread on the chaos. Auburn and Miami (OH) also lost late games that could hurt their NCAA hopes as committees finalize the field conference turmoil noted.
L.J. Cason tore his right ACL on Feb. 27 and was ruled out for the season, a loss Michigan confirmed as season‑ending during the Big Ten regular season run. [clickondetroit.com] Cameron Foster’s running mate Caleb Foster underwent surgery for a fractured right foot and will miss the ACC Tournament, while starter Patrick Ngongba II remained sidelined with foot soreness as coach Jon Scheyer said the priority is getting Ngongba ready for the NCAA tournament. [si.com] Texas Tech lost leading forward JT Toppin to a torn right ACL on Feb. 18, a diagnosis the school confirmed after his injury at Arizona State and which removed his 21.8‑point, 9.7‑rebound scoring punch from seeding equations. [texastech.com] Star guard Christian Anderson left Texas Tech’s Big 12 quarterfinal after slipping and straining a muscle on the tournament’s experimental LED “glass” court on Mar. 12, an incident that prompted the conference to switch to a traditional hardwood surface for the semifinals and final. [espn.com] Arizona’s Jaden Bradley exited with a wrist/hand issue, returned with a wrap and then buried a fall‑away buzzer‑beater to reach the Big 12 final, with Arizona later reporting X‑rays were taken on his left wrist/hand after the game. [msn.com] Auburn’s late collapse in a 72‑62 SEC Tournament loss to Tennessee on Mar. 12 left the Tigers’ résumé teetering and moved several bracketologists to downgrade Auburn’s at‑large outlook ahead of Selection Sunday. [espn.com] No. 20 Miami (Ohio) saw its 31‑0 regular season end with an 87‑83 MAC quarterfinal upset by UMass on Mar. 12, a first loss that shifts the RedHawks from an automatic‑bid path to the uncertain at‑large pool the selection committee must evaluate. [espn.com]
