Joshua Jefferson injury update: Will Iowa State forward play vs Tennessee?

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Iowa State men's basketball could be getting a key member of its offense back for its Sweet 16 game of the Men's NCAA Tournament.

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Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger told reporters in Chicago on Wednesday, March 25 that Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson has seen "pretty significant progress" with his recovery from an ankle injury and that he is a game-time decision for Friday's Sweet 16 game against 2-seed Tennessee.

Jefferson sustained an ankle injury in the opening minutes of the first round of March Madness, and has been sidelined since, including being ruled out in the second round against Kentucky.

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Getting Jefferson back against the Volunteers would benefit the Cyclones in 1-on-1 battles around the basket against Tennessee's frontcourt, which has proven an issue given its size and length early in the tournament. He is second in scoring with 16.4 points per game and leads the Cyclones with 7.4 boards per game.

The Cyclones and the Volunteers are slated for a 10:10 p.m. ET tip-off on Friday at the United Center in Chicago. It is the third time Iowa State will play in the Sweet 16 under Otzelberger, who indirectly dismissed rumors that his name was being mentioned for the North Carolina head-coaching opening on Wednesday.

A win for Iowa State would send the Cyclones to the Elite Eight for the first time since the 2000 NCAA Tournament.

Here's the latest on Jefferson:

Will Joshua Jefferson play vs Tennessee? Iowa State guard status for March Madness Sweet 16 game

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger told reporters on Wednesday in Chicago that Jefferson will be a game-time decision for Friday night's Sweet 16 game vs. Tennessee.

Being listed as a game-time decision is a positive sign for Jefferson, given that he was ruled out for the Cyclones' second-round game vs. Kentucky.

"He's working tirelessly every day. Countless sessions in the training room. Doing everything he can," Otzelberger said Wednesday. "His ankle is getting better every single day. It's going to take right up to game-time.

"We're going to give it every possible chance to do that and he's doing all that he can do. There's not any percentages, predictions, unlikely, likely. ... Each day, there is a pretty significant progress, but we'll see where we're at game time Friday night."

Joshua Jefferson injury update

Jefferson sustained an ankle injury less than three minutes into Iowa State's first-round game against Tennessee State.

The injury to the Cyclones guard came after he appeared to have twisted his ankle as he landed on the court after going up for a layup. He had to be helped off the court at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis by members of Iowa State's medical team as he was unable to put weight on his left foot.

Here's a look at Jefferson's injury:

Jefferson was seen on crutches for the remainder of the game. He was then ruled out for Iowa State's second-round win over Kentucky and was seen riding a scooter.

As noted by Eugene Rapay of the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network, Jefferson underwent an MRI on Monday "for precautionary reasons," and the MRI "did not reveal anything new." The Cyclones' guard was also not a full participant when Iowa State practiced on Wednesday. Instead, he continued to receive treatment and work with the team's training staff on the side to help heal his ankle.

In that same media availability on Wednesday, Otzelberger told reporters that Jefferson has started to move away from being fully reliant on the scooter.

"He's starting to walk a little bit now," Otzelberger said. "It's not perfect, but it is progress."

What is Joshua Jefferson's injury?

Jefferson is dealing with an ankle injury.

Joshua Jefferson stats

Here's a look at Jefferson's season stats:

  • Points: 16.4
  • Rebounds: 7.4
  • Assists: 4.8
  • Blocks: 0.8
  • Steals: 1.6
  • Shooting: 47.1%
  • 3-Point Shooting: 34.5%

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joshua Jefferson injury update: Iowa State forward 'game time decision' for Sweet 16

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