Iowa State will be without one of its most important players for the NCAA tournament, as coach T.J. Otzelberger announced Sunday that star guard Keshon Gilbert will be out “moving forward.”
Gilbert, who missed four of Iowa State’s past seven games because of a groin injury, leads the Cyclones in assists and minutes. He’s also the team’s second-leading scorer at 13.4 points per game.
A team spokesman later clarified that Gilbert will be out for the entire NCAA tournament, marking the end of a decorated Iowa State career for the senior.
It’s a huge blow to the Cyclones (24-9), who earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament and play No. 14 Lipscomb in Milwaukee. If they advance, they play the winner of No. 5 Ole Miss and No. 11 San Diego State.
Otzelberger also delivered some good news. Guard Tamin Lipsey (lower body) should return for the NCAA tournament after he missed Iowa State’s Big 12 tournament loss to BYU on Thursday.
“We fully anticipate he’ll be ready to go for our game on Friday,” Otzelberger said about Lipsey, who averages 10.8 points.
Gilbert is not as fortunate. He has been dealing with a stubborn lower-body injury that he described at the Big 12 tournament as a groin injury. He played against Cincinnati on Wednesday but missed Iowa State’s game against BYU on Thursday.
“We decided that he needs to focus on his rehab and getting his body back right,” Otzelberger said in Ames, Iowa, on Sunday.
Gilbert has been dealing with the injury for much of the conference season. He missed the March 8 game against Kansas State and back-to-back games in late February against Houston and Oklahoma State.
He played 29 of Iowa State’s 34 games this season and averaged 31.6 minutes and 4.1 assists.
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