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Injuries in any sport can derail a team's entire season. These injuries become even more impactful in college basketball, when there are just 15 players on a team's roster. Over the years, teams with their sights set on a national championship have fallen well short due to crushing injuries.
With the 2023-24 college basketball season approaching an end, this list will look at five teams that have been most affected by injuries this season. Whether it's one injury to a major player on the team or a multitude of injuries across the roster, we will highlight college basketball teams that have disappointed this season while dealing with those absences.
5 college basketball teams most affected by injuries in the 2023-24 season
#1. Arkansas Razorbacks
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The Arkansas Razorbacks had high hopes after a Sweet Sixteen run last season. But losing players to the NBA and injuries up and down the roster have held them back from finding the success they had last season.
Sophomore guard Trevon Brazile returned to Arkansas after suffering a torn ACL last season, playing in only nine total games. This season, Brazile has continued to miss time on the floor with knee troubles, playing in 19 of their 26 games so far.
As if that wasn't bad enough, every one of the top five scorers for the Razorbacks has missed at least one game this season. Their leading scorer, Tramon Mark, has missed two games this season, and sophomore guard Keyon Menifield Jr. has missed 12 games due to injury.
#2. Texas Longhorns
The Texas Longhorns had high hopes for this season after finishing last season on a run to the Elite Eight as the second seed in the Midwest Region. They lost Dylan Disu last season in the NCAA tournament and were set for him to return this season and pick up where they left off.
Disu remained sidelined this season until mid-December with the foot injury he suffered in the NCAA Tournament last season. This setback saw a team without their leading scorer fall out of the college basketball AP Top 25, where they began their season as No. 18.
Oral Roberts transfer Max Abmas has been a great addition for the Longhorns this season and has played in every game this season. But behind Abmas, guard Tyrese Hunter and forward Kadin Shedrick are also among the key players who have missed time this season.
#3. USC Trojans
The USC Trojans disappointing season can mainly be blamed on the countless injury struggles this season. They have just one player on their roster who has played in all 26 of the Trojans games this season.
Things seemed like they were all coming together for USC to start their 2023-24 campaign, entering the season as the No. 18 ranked team in college basketball. No. 1 recruit Isaiah Collier and McDonald's All-American Bronny James were set to make their USC debuts, with lockdown defender Kobe Johnson and Boogie Ellis returning.
Their misfortune began with Bronny James missing the first part of the season after a cardiac arrest scare prior to the start of the season. From that point on, the Trojans would be without leading scorer Boogie Ellis, along with Isaiah Collier, Kobe Johnson, DJ Rodman, Joshua Morgan, and Vincent Iwuchukwu, for multiple games this season.
USC dropped six games in a row at the heart of the season, and they currently sit towards the bottom of the Pac-12 standings with a record of 10-16.
#4. Louisville Cardinals
Expectations were not very high this season for the Louisville Cardinals, who finished 4-28 last season. They've already seen an improvement from a disastrous season, with a current record of 8-18. Although the postseason is out of reach for the Cardinals, they still had to juggle their lineup with players missing due to injury.
Their leading scorer, Skyy Clark, has missed three games throughout this college basketball season with various injuries, including a broken rib just over a week ago. Sophomore guard Tre White, averaging 13.0 points this season, has missed three games as well. The team's only senior, JJ Traynor, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in December after only playing in eight games.
#5. Miami Hurricanes
The Miami Hurricanes may not have been without key players with injuries for extended periods of time, but they have had many players miss time in big games this season. After their Final Four run last season, Miami lost leading scorers Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller to the NBA. But the 'Canes would keep Norchad Omier and Nijel Pack around for at least one more season.
Miami has had each of their top five scorers this season miss at least one game. Nijel Pack has missed time with a knee injury, including a blowout loss to Duke in a game Miami needed in order to keep their college basketball postseason hopes alive. Miami's loss to Duke marks their fifth consecutive loss.
What could Alabama basketball's 2024-25 starting lineup look like? Find out here
