Believe it or not, a flurry of injuries in early November are already having an impact on the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Two of the nation’s most recognizable blue bloods have stars on the sidelines. And that will certainly have at least a trickle-down effect on the seeding and possibly even the viability of some bubble teams.
Seth Trimble’s Injury Leaves UNC’s Backcourt Even More Unproven
Days following a big non-conference win against Kansas, North Carolina senior point guard Seth Trimble broke a bone in his forearm during a team workout. The injury needed surgery and Trimble was expected to be out until at least late January. This news comes “on the heels” of another news item that worked against UNC’s backcourt strength. During the offseason, fellow UNC guard Elliot Cadeau announced that he was leaving for Michigan.
One would also assume that this injury also leaves more of the offensive productivity on the shoulders of super freshman Caleb Wilson. The 6-10 former Gatorade Player of the Year from the state of Georgia was already averaging an even 20.0 points per game when this news broke.
McDonald’s All-American Darryn Peterson Nursing Back to Health
Darryn Peterson could be a top pick in the NBA Draft in the spring of 2026, but March Madness fans of that same season will be holding their breath about whether they’ll see him at 100%. Darryn Peterson missed two games in mid-November with a hamstring strain before being listed as “day-to-day” before The Champions Classic on November 18th. Peterson scored 22 and 21 points in the two games he did play. Before we enshrine the Canton, Ohio native into any halls of fame, we’ll have to wait and see how he recovers from this notoriously nagging injury.
Notable Injuries Across the College Basketball Landscape for the 2025-2026 Season
BYU – The Cougars HR department is dealing with a mix of sick calls and personal days. Keba Keita suffered a concussion in a November game against UCONN while at the same time fellow big man Kennard Davis was benched for suspicion of driving drunk.
Houston – These Cougars are known for their depth and toughness, but their injury report is riddled with some nagging injuries for rotation players. Kordell Jefferson and Jacob McFarland were spotted on the injury report early in the season.
Illinois – A pair of 7 plus footer brothers were listed on the injury report recently. They make up an interesting storyline thread of the so-called “Balkan Gang” that has been assembled at Illinois.
Georgetown’s Spark-Plug Center to Miss Significant Time after Hot Start
The Georgetown Hoyas have been one of the pleasant surprises of the early going for the 2025-2026 season. College basketball observers aren’t surprised to see head coach Ed Cooley lead another middle-tier East Coast team to postseason relevance. However, in late November the undefeated Hoyas had to adjust to life without their spark-plug center, Vince Iwuchukwu.
According to TheHoya.com, Iwuchukwu transferred to Georgetown after playing at St. John’s last year: “Prior to attending St. John’s, Iwuchukwu played two years for the University of Southern California (USC). In his first year at USC, Iwuchukwu suffered a cardiac arrest during a July practice and missed half of the season.”
Myles Rice Maryland Tenure Stumbles Out of the Gates
Myles Rice showed flashes of being the best point guard in the country as his Washington State Cougars won a tournament game. But that was two teams ago for the now Maryland Terrapin. After playing for Washington State and Indiana, an ankle injury has been keeping Rice on the sidelines, for now.
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