BYU vs. Iowa State basketball injury report and predictions, March 6: Latest on Marcus Adams Jr., Dawson Baker and more

Bellarmine v Brigham Young
BYU's Dawson Baker | Bellarmine vs. Brigham Young

The No. 20 BYU Cougars (21-8, 9-7 Big 12) visit the No. 6 Iowa State Cyclones (23-6, 12-4) in a late-season conference matchup on Wednesday night. The game will tipoff at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 from James H. Hilton Coliseum in Ames, IA.

BYU has won three of its last four games, including wins over No. 11 Baylor and No. 14 Kansas the previous month. Iowa State has won seven of its last eight games, with the lone loss coming to No. 1 Houston on Feb. 19.

The Cyclones have been able to stay healthy throughout this season and have no players listed on the injury report ahead of this matchup. The Cougars have two players who have found their way onto the injury report ahead of tonight's clash. Here are the latest updates on the injuries for the Cougars.

Also Read: Caleb Foster injury: What happened to the Duke guard?


BYU vs. Iowa State injuries

Marcus Adams Jr., BYU

Freshman forward Marcus Adams Jr. remains out indefinitely with a knee injury. Adams made his BYU debut in December in a win against Bellarmine. He logged eight minutes and finished with two points, two rebounds and one assist in that outing.

When asked about Adams' recovery in January, coach Mark Pope offered this update:

"Marcus still has little aches and pains that he is trying to work through, and so we need him. We would love to get him rolling. We are just trying to piece him together right now."

It appears there is still hope for Adams to return to the court this season after not taking a medical redshirt and sitting out his freshman season.

Dawson Baker, BYU

Junior guard Dawson Baker is out for the season while he undergoes surgery on a lingering foot injury. The UC Irvine transfer averaged 5.0 points, 0.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in his first season with the Cougars.

Baker appeared in five games this season for BYU, scoring 10 points in his second game against Bellarmine. Baker has the option to apply for a medical redshirt, which would allow him two additional seasons of eligibility and a chance to return to BYU next season.


BYU vs. Iowa State prediction

The Iowa State Cyclones enter this matchup as 7.5-point favorites, even though the Cougars won an 87-72 blowout the last time these teams met. Now, the matchup shifts to Iowa State's home floor nearly two months later, with a chance for the Cyclones to even up the season series.

The Cyclones have caught fire late in the season, going 10-2 in their last 12 outings, only losing to Baylor and Houston. Iowa State has four players averaging double-figure scoring this season, led by junior guard Keshon Gilbert. Gilbert posted a team-high 16 points in the Cyclones last matchup against the Cougars.

BYU enters this contest off an 87-75 win over TCU on Saturday. The Cougars have shooters all over the floor and five players averaging double-figure scoring this season. Senior guard Jaxson Robinson leads BYU in scoring, averaging 13.9 points this season. Junior forward Fousseyni Traore has been the most efficient scorer on this BYU team, averaging 10.5 points and shooting 63.5% from the field.

The Cyclones were outshot 4 to 13 from 3 in the last meeting with BYU and shot just 64% from the free-throw line. However, this Cyclones squad seems to have hit its stride late in the season and should be able to put together a better shooting performance this time around.

The Big 12 competition has been fierce this season, and this matchup will be no exception. This should be a close game, and it will be a vital win for Iowa State if it wants to catch Houston at the top of the Big 12 standings. Unless BYU catches fire in the second half the way it did in their first meeting of the season, Iowa State should be able to emerge victorious and win its fourth straight.

Prediction: BYU 70, ISU 75

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