For college stars to become difference-makers in March, they need to be on the court. But the status of a handful of key players is uncertain for the men’s NCAA Tournament due to injuries, with a few prominent names already ruled out. Other teams have received positive updates on key players over the last week, boosting their hopes of making a deep run.

Fans finishing their men’s brackets before Thursday’s first-round games will also be monitoring the availability of impact players. Here are the injury situations to know before locking in your pool entries.

Trending up

Cooper Flagg, Duke

The potential National Player of the Year and projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft missed Duke’s final two games of the ACC tournament after spraining his left ankle in the team’s tourney opener against Georgia Tech last Thursday. The 18-year-old superstar is expected to be available for the NCAA Tournament, a major relief for the No. 1 seed Blue Devils. Without Flagg, Duke narrowly beat North Carolina in the semifinals and then clinched the ACC tournament title with a win over Louisville.

The Blue Devils are also dealing with an injury to forward Maliq Brown, one of the team’s best defensive players, who re-dislocated his shoulder in the same game that Flagg was injured. His status for the NCAA Tournament is less clear.

Duke will open its NCAA Tournament on Friday in Raleigh against the winner of Wednesday’s First Four game between No. 16 seeds American and Mount St. Mary’s.

Boogie Fland, Arkansas

No. 10 seed Arkansas will have an important reinforcement as it opens the NCAA Tournament against Kansas. Freshman guard Boogie Fland, the team’s assists leader and second-leading scorer, has been cleared to return for the Razorbacks’ first-round game on Thursday in Providence. Fland injured his hand in January and has missed Arkansas’ last 15 games.

It remains to be seen how he’ll work back into the Razorbacks’ rotation, which has transformed in his absence. The Razorbacks were 0-5 in SEC play when Fland was initially deemed out for the season but went 8-5 in league play down the stretch without him. Junior forward Adou Thiero, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder who missed the last six games, is doubtful to play against Kansas due to a knee injury.

Darrion Williams, Texas Tech

West Region No. 3 seed Texas Tech is also monitoring the status of two key players: junior forward Darrion Williams (leg) and senior guard Chance McMillian (upper body), who missed their team’s Big 12 tournament semifinal loss to Arizona.

Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland told reporters Sunday he’s “optimistic that we’ll have everybody playing” for the Red Raiders’ first-round game against No. 14 seed UNC Wilmington on Thursday in Wichita.

“To what level, I’m not real sure,” McCasland said. “But I do know that they’re hard at work and trying to get specifically Darrion and Chance ready to go.”

Lamont Butler, Kentucky

The Wildcats received the “best possible news” about injured starting guard Lamont Butler, coach Mark Pope told UK Sports Network on Friday.

“He’s gonna be in good shape, but we’re going to sit him tonight. … We look forward to having him moving forward,” Pope said before the team’s loss to Alabama in the SEC tournament.

Butler, the team’s assist and steals leader, injured his shoulder in Kentucky’s SEC tournament opener against Oklahoma, but it appears likely the Wildcats will have him back for the NCAA Tournament. No. 3 Kentucky takes on No. 14 Troy on Friday in Milwaukee.

Fletcher Loyer, Purdue

Loyer’s availability could be in question for No. 4 Purdue’s first-round game against No. 13 High Point on Thursday. The junior guard injured his elbow during the Boilermakers’ Big Ten tournament quarterfinal loss to Michigan on Friday but returned to game after a brief exit.

Coach Matt Painter told reporters Sunday that the team expects Loyer to play.

“I don’t think he’ll practice. We’ll see. But he’ll definitely play,” Painter said. “He just needs to rest it right now. He’s been getting treatment, saw the doctor. It’s really kind of a sprain with his elbow.”

TBD

Grant Nelson, Alabama

Nelson, a crucial big man for the Crimson Tide, is dealing with a knee injury he sustained during the SEC tournament. No. 2 Alabama is “hoping to get Grant back” for its NCAA Tournament opener against No. 15 Robert Morris on Friday in Cleveland, Alabama coach Nate Oats told reporters Sunday.

Another one to watch: Tide leading scorer Mark Sears had his foot stepped on during Alabama’s loss to Florida in the SEC tournament championship, but he later returned to the game, and it doesn’t appear the issue will impact his tournament availability. Sears is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 18.7 points per game, while Nelson also averages double figures (11.8 ppg) and leads the team in rebounds (7.6 ppg) and blocks (1.2 ppg).

Tyrese Hunter, Memphis

The status of two Memphis guards, Tyrese Hunter (foot) and Dante Harris (ankle), remains up in the air ahead of the No. 5 seed Tigers’ tournament opener against Colorado State on Friday in Seattle.

Hunter started in 32 games this season and sustained a left foot injury during the AAC tournament semifinal, while Harris appeared in 16 games this season (one start) and suffered a high ankle sprain earlier this month.

Ruled out

Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State

The Cyclones will be without Gilbert for the NCAA Tournament after he re-aggravated a groin injury during the Big 12 tournament. The senior guard led the team in assists per game (4.1) and was its second-leading scorer (13.4) this season.

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger provided some positive news after Selection Sunday. He said the team “fully anticipate(s)” that injured guard Tamin Lipsey (groin) will be back for the No. 3 seed Cyclones’ game against Lipscomb on Friday in Milwaukee.

Dillon Hunter, Clemson

No. 5 Clemson received tough news that Hunter — a “glue guy,” as head coach Brad Brownell called him — will miss March Madness due to a broken hand suffered in the team’s ACC tournament win over SMU. Clemson lost its next game, the tournament semifinal against Louisville, without Hunter in the lineup, and faces No. 12 McNeese on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament.

“It wasn’t good and obviously it’s a little bit of an emotional letdown for your team when, you know, the guy has been playing so hard,” Brownell previously said about Hunter’s injury. “You get to this time of year, the time of year you want to play, and it goes sideways.”

(Photo: Jim Dedmon / Imagn Images)