The Michigan men’s basketball team is set to begin its NCAA Tournament run Thursday night, but they won’t be at full strength.
Ahead of their Round of 64 matchup against No. 16 seed Howard, Michigan released its preliminary injury report, and there are a few key updates to monitor.
Who’s OUT
Michigan will be without two players:
- Winters Grady (lower-leg injury)
- L. J. Cason (ACL tear)
Grady, a freshman wing, hasn’t played since early January and could be a candidate for a medical redshirt after appearing in just nine games this season.
Cason’s absence is the more significant loss. The backup guard averaged:
- 8.4 points
- 2.4 assists
- 1.0 steals
in just under 19 minutes per game before suffering a season-ending ACL injury.
The Good News: Yaxel Lendeborg Trending Up
The biggest storyline entering Thursday might actually be who is playing.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American, is expected to suit up despite dealing with a low-ankle sprain suffered in the Big Ten Tournament.
Lendeborg sounded optimistic about his status:
“I feel okay… I practiced yesterday… the cutting bothered me a little bit, but I think when the game time comes… I’ll be OK.”
He is not listed on the injury report, signaling a strong likelihood he plays without restriction.
Full Availability Report
AVAILABLE:
- No players listed
QUESTIONABLE:
- None
OUT:
- Winters Grady
- L.J. Cason
Additional players not expected to play: Charlie May (injury), Ricky Liburd (redshirt), Harrison Hochberg (redshirt).
Bottom Line
Michigan enters the NCAA Tournament mostly healthy at the top, but with reduced depth off the bench.
- Losing Cason hurts the rotation
- Grady remains sidelined
- Lendeborg’s health will be critical
Still, as a No. 1 seed, the Wolverines will be expected to handle business against Howard, but this injury situation is something to watch closely as the tournament unfolds.
