A big-time performance – or a key injury – can be the difference for teams eyeing a spot in March Madness.
With the final weeks of the NCAA hoops regular season upon us, it’s now crunch time. Final Four hopefuls, potential Cinderella squads, and bubble teams are gearing up for a sprint to the finish.
Keeping track of notable injuries, news and happenings across men’s and women’s college basketball.
Feb. 16
Gonzaga forward Braden Huff injury update
Gonzaga forward Braden Huff will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 regular-season because of a left knee injury. Huff sustained the injury in practice on Jan. 14, and was given an original timeline of 4-to-8 weeks, which meant there was a chance he’d return before the end of the regular season. However, on Monday, Feb. 16, Bulldogs head coach Mark Few said that his return will likely be at least eight weeks, meaning he won’t return until after the West Coast Conference tournament concludes.
Feb. 15
Arizona forward Koa Peat sustains injury
Arizona forward Koa Peat sustained a lower body injury, causing him to miss the second half and overtime of the Wildcats’ loss to Texas Tech on Saturday. Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd did not provide an update regarding Peat’s status. The freshman is averaging 13.8 points per game and 5.4 rebounds.
Kansas State fires head coach Jerome Tang
Kansas State fired head coach Jerome Tang on Sunday. The decision was reportedly made “for cause,” as the athletic department cited, Tang’s “public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction.”
Moreso, athletic director Gene Taylor filed this statement as a reason to fire Tang for cause:
“There’s language in his contract that addresses certain things that can potentially bring embarrassment,” Taylor said. “Basically, his comments about the student-athletes and the negative reaction to those comments from a lot of sources, both nationally and locally, is where I thought we needed to make the decision.”
For context, after the Wildcats’ 91-62 loss to Cincinnati, Tang said, “These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year… I’m embarrassed for the university, and I’m embarrassed for our fans, our student section. It is just ridiculous. We’ve got practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, and we will get this thing right. I have no answer and no words. … Right now, I’m like pissed.”
[Jerome Tang: ‘These Dudes Don’t Deserve To Wear This Uniform’]
Tang defended those comments in a statement.
“I am deeply disappointed with the university’s decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination. I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as head coach,” Tang wrote.
“I would like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the opportunity to serve as Head Coach at Kansas State. It has been one of the great honors of my life. I am grateful to the players, staff, and fans who make this program so special. I remain proud of what we built together and confident that I have always acted in the best interests of the university and our student-athletes.”
Tang coached at Kansas State for the better part of four seasons. He led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in 2023, his first season. Following that year, Kansas State rewarded him with a seven-year contract extension, starting with a $3.6 million base salary, including a $100,000 increase each year, and an $18.7 million buyout. The Wildcats were 10-15 overall at the time of Tang’s for-cause firing.
Feb. 14
BYU forward Richie Saunders sustains season-ending injury
BYU forward Richie Saunders sustained a torn ACL during the Cougars’ win against Colorado on Saturday. The injury effectively ends the senior’s college basketball career. He’s played all four seasons at BYU, and leads the team with 64 made 3-point shots this season. The Cougars had dropped four of their last five games previous to a 90-86 overtime victory against Colorado. They had also lost senior guard Dawson Baker to a season-ending ACL injury earlier this season. Saunders’ injury is another obstacle added to BYU’s dwindling national championship chances.
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson sustains injury
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson sustained a fractured left hand during the Tar Heels loss to Miami on Feb. 10. The freshman star leads UNC in scoring (19.8 points per game) and rebounding (9.4 per game), and had 23 points in the Tar Heels win against Duke on Feb. 7. Wilson’s timeline to return is unclear, and UNC only has six games across three weeks remaining on its regular-season schedule. There is optimism he’ll be back before the ACC Tournament.
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