Early Injuries with the Biggest Impact in the 2015-16 CBB Season

A team's fortunes can change in an instant if a key player suffers an injury. The longer that critical player is sidelined, the greater the impact on that team's season.

Already this season, a number of injuries have significantly altered the college basketball landscape, and more health problems are sure to arise. 

Several high-profile players have missed or will miss a couple of games for health reasons, but none of the players in this group expects to be sidelined for an extended period, and none of the absences has had a major impact on the team. Players in this group include London Perrantes of Virginia (appendectomy), Derrick Walton Jr. of Michigan (ankle), Rapheal Davis of Purdue (knee) and Tyler Ulis of Kentucky (elbow).

It's too soon to say whether the head injury Kentucky's Marcus Lee suffered Thursday against UCLA will sideline him long enough to have a significant impact, although his absence seemed to influence the outcome of that game. His status for the next game is unclear, according to Eamonn Brennan of ESPN.com. The same goes for Gonzaga center Przemek Karnowski, whose back spasms seem like a minor annoyance at the moment but could become a bigger issue.    

This article focuses on injuries that have already made a difference. We start with a handful of important players who suffered offseason injuries that affected their status for this season. Then we proceed to the 10 early-season injuries that have made the biggest impact.

Offseason Injuries

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Here are five players who had offseason health problems that are affecting their teams now.

Cedric Hankerson, Boston University (pictured above): Hankerson, a preseason all-conference selection for a Boston University team that was picked to finish third in the Patriot League, tore his ACL last spring, but he could return in early December.

Noah Robotham, Akron: The Zips are the pick to win their division of the Mid-American Conference, but they need point guard Robotham, who is expected to return sometime in December after tearing his ACL last February when he was starting as a freshman.

Siyani Chambers, Harvard: A three-year starter at point guard, Chambers suffered a torn ACL over the summer and withdrew from school for a year so he can re-enter and play next season.

Jo Acuil, Baylor: JUCORecruiting.com rated Acuil was rated the No. 4 junior college prospect this year, but Baylor detected a heart issue that will sideline him for at least eight weeks, according to a Dallas Morning News report from October.

Xavier Johnson, Colorado: Johnson averaged 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds last season, but he tore his Achilles tendon in June.  He is likely to redshirt this season, according to a CBS Sports report, but that is not yet official.

Chris Fowler, Central Michigan

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

Injury: Undisclosed

Prognosis: Uncertain, probably back by Jan. 1, perhaps sooner

When It Happened: Preseason

The Chippewas won't be the team they can be until Chris Fowler returns, and no one seems to know exactly when that will be.

Central Michigan has all five starters back from a team that went 23-9 and finished first in the Mid-American Conference West last season, so it is no surprise that it was picked to win the West again and perhaps make some noise nationally.

However, the key to everything is Fowler, a point guard who was the MAC player of the year runner-up last season and a preseason all-conference pick this year. He has yet to play a game this season because of an undisclosed injury. Coach Keno Davis expects him to return before long, although he does not know exactly when. Earlier this week, Fowler began non-contact drills, according to Nate Schneider of the Morning Sun, but he still has several hurdles to clear before returning.

Without Fowler, the Chippewas are 3-4, including Thursday's loss to Grand Canyon University. Their only win in the past five games was a one-point victory at home against McNeese State.

"It makes things a lot more difficult with Chris out,” senior forward John Simons said, according to the Morning Sun. “It’s pretty easy for us to tell and probably pretty easy for everyone watching." 

Keith Hornsby, LSU

Steve Helber/Associated Press

Injury: Abdomen

When It Happened: Preseason

Prognosis: Likely to return in early December

Keith Hornsby, a fifth-year senior shooting guard, is the Tigers' top returning scorer (13.8 points per game last season). He started all 33 games in 2014-2015 and is the only returning player who started more than half the team's conference games last year. 

Coach Johnny Jones said on November 3 that Hornsby had undergone a procedure that would sideline him for a while, and Sheldon Mickles of the Advocate later identified the procedure as sports hernia surgery. He has not played in any games this season, and the Tigers have missed the stability, maturity and perimeter shooting he provides.

The Tigers were ranked No. 21 in the preseason Associated Press poll, largely because of the presence of highly touted freshman Ben Simmons. However, LSU fell out of the Top 25 when it lost three consecutive games, none of which was against a ranked opponent. The Tigers broke the losing streak against Northern Florida, and Simmons had to score 43 points for the Tigers to win that home game in overtime.

One of their biggest weaknesses has been perimeter shooting, as the Tigers have hit just 32 percent of their three-point shots, which ranked 221st in the country as of December 2. Hornsby led the team in three-pointers made last season with 72 while hitting 39.2 percent of his long-range attempts.

Hornsby returned to practice about two weeks ago, according to the Advocate, which also reported that he may be ready for game action by the second week of December.

Dylan Ennis, Oregon

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Injury: Foot

When It happened: November 3

Prognosis: Uncertain, but he won't return before Christmas.

Surprisingly, the Ducks have prospered without guard Dylan Ennis and forward Jordan Bell, a returning starter who has not played this season as he recovers from a broken foot suffered in April.

Ennis has yet to play in a game this season, but undefeated Oregon beat Baylor and is ranked No. 15 heading into its December 4 game against UNLV. Presumably, the Ducks will be even better with the return of Bell, the team's leading rebounder and shot-blocker last season, and Ennis, a graduate transfer who was a starter on a Villanova team that finished the regular season ranked No. 2 last season.

A foot problem had bothered Ennis for a while this fall. “It’s not anything that happened, it’s something that’s nagging,” coach Dana Altman told Steve Mims of the Register-Guard on November 2. A day later, after tests were performed, Altman revealed the problem would keep Ennis sidelined for at least month, perhaps longer, per Tyson Alger of the Oregonian.

Bell is expected to return in early December, but the wait for Ennis' return will be longer. “Another month, Christmas, somewhere around there,” Altman told Mims. 

Ennis was penciled in as the team's starting point guard when he transferred, but now the Ducks will have a period of adjustment when he returns, whenever that is.

Phil Forte III, Oklahoma State

Mic Smith/Associated Press

Injury: Elbow

When It Happened: November 19

Prognosis: Uncertain

Guard Phil Forte III is one of just two starters back from last season's Oklahoma State squad, and he is the team's top returning scorer, averaging 15.0 points last season. Perhaps more important is that he is the Cowboys' top perimeter threat, hitting 70 three-point shots last season while sinking 38 percent of them.

He suffered a torn ligament in his left elbow in a November 19 victory over Towson that improved the Cowboys' record to 3-0. In their first game without Forte, the Cowboys lost to George Mason, a team that was 1-2 at the time, including losses to Colgate and Mercer. The game also ended Forte's streak of 102 consecutive games played.

Coach Travis Ford is not sure when Ford will return, telling Mark Cooper of the Tulsa World late last week that Forte's status is "day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month." It's a matter of when Forte regains sufficient flexibility in his elbow.

Leyton Hammonds and Tavarius Shine have also missed games for Oklahoma State for health reasons, but the absence of Forte, a third-team all-Big 12 selection last season, has made a bigger impact.

Mike Thorne Jr., Illinois

Seth Perlman/Associated Press

Injury: Knee

When It Happened: November 28

Prognosis: Out indefinitely, may miss the rest of the season

The loss of 6'11" Mike Thorne Jr. is just the latest in a series of injuries suffered by the Illini. The team lost senior guard Tracy Abrams for the season with a torn Achilles tendon suffered during the summer, and Kendrick Nunn returned recently after missing the first five games following thumb surgery.

Then, midway through the first half of a November 28 game against Iowa State, Thorne suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee, and he had surgery two days later, according to the Chicago Tribune. The school announced that Thorne is out indefinitely, so there is no timetable for his return, if he returns at all this season.

Thorne, a graduate transfer from Charlotte, played in seven games this season, all as a starter. He is third on the team in scoring at 13.4 points per game and first in rebounding at 8.4. Illinois now lacks the size and strength in the middle that Thorne provided. The Illini led Iowa State at halftime as Thorne had 10 points and seven rebounds in the first half before the injury, but they lost that game, as well as the December 2 game against Notre Dame to fall to 3-5. 

Illinois was not expected to contend for the Big Ten title this season, but the loss of Thorne could send Illinois tumble to the bottom of the standings.

Fred VanVleet, Wichita State

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Injury: Hamstring

When It Happened: October 29

Prognosis: Expected to return by mid-December, perhaps as soon as December 5

No injury has had a bigger impact than Fred VanVleet's strained hamstring. A Wichita State team that was ranked No. 10 in the preseason Associated Press poll now has a losing record. Much of the disappointment can be traced to the absence of VanVleet, a point guard who was the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year in 2014.

VanVleet first injured his hamstring on October 29 in practice and then strained it more severely in an October 31 closed scrimmage against Oklahoma state. He played just three minutes in the season-opening win against Charleston Southern before an ankle injury knocked him out of the game. He then labored through 30 minutes in the loss to Tulane and has not played since. 

In the four games VanVleet has missed as of December 4, the Shockers' only win was against Emporia State, and none of the three losses was against a ranked team. 

The loss of Anton Grady, who suffered a scary spinal injury on November 27, further weakened the Shockers, who seem to be at a loss without VanVleet, their on-court leader and playmaker. 

Coach Gregg Marshall is trying to be cautious with VanVleet, because hamstring injuries tend to recur. VanVleet is expected to return soon, perhaps as soon as the December 5 game against St. Louis, per John Rothstein of CBS Sports. The Shockers are 2-4 and need VanVleet back before the season unravels completely.

E.C. Matthews, Rhode Island

Associated Press

Injury: Knee

When It Happened: November 13

Prognosis: Out for season

Rhode Island was picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10, and guard E.C. Matthews, a preseason first-team all-conference selection, was a major reason why.

The 6'5" Matthews averaged a team-high 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds last season while helping the Rams win 23 games and earn a spot in the NIT. A berth in the NCAA tournament seemed within reach this season.

However, in the first half of the November 13 opener against American, Matthews suffered a torn ACL. With Matthews' season over almost before it started, the Rams lost their next game to Valparaiso and are treading water with a 5-2 record. In their only game against a ranked team, they lost by 23 points to Maryland, and Saturday's game against in-state rival Providence will tell us a lot about what Rhode Island can do without its star guard.

Matthews is expected to apply for a medical redshirt, but that won't help the Rams this season.

Kaleb Tarczewski, Arizona

Alex Gallardo/Associated Press

Injury: Foot

When It Happened: November 26

Prognosis: Out four to six weeks, could return by January 1

Kaleb Tarczewski, a 7'0" senior center in his fourth year as a starter, had started 112 collegiate games before his injury. He provides size, strength and a consistent inside presence both offensively and defensively. His importance goes beyond the 8.6 points and 7.2 rebounds he is averaging this season.

He suffered a stress reaction and a strained muscle in his left foot and was shut down after playing 27 minutes in the November 26 game against Santa Clara. Four days later, the school announced Tarczewski would be sidelined for four to six weeks. That means he might return in time for the Wildcats' January 3 Pac-12 opener against Arizona State.

In their first game without Tarczewski, the then-No. 11 Wildcats suffered their first loss, falling to Providence, which was unranked at the time.

Arizona had lost freshman forward Ray Smith, rated the No. 17 recruit in the nation at Rivals.com, when he suffered a torn ACL in preseason practice. But the loss of Tarczewski is more serious, because he was a proven commodity. The Wildcats' game on Saturday against Gonzaga and the Bulldogs' two big frontcourt players (Domantas Sabonis and Przemek Karnowski, assuming the latter plays) may indicate whether the Wildcats can survive without Tarczewski.

Terry Henderson, North Carolina State

Andrew Ferguson/Associated Press

Injury: Ankle

When It Happened: November 13

Prognosis: Out six to eight weeks, could return as early as January 1

North Carolina State was picked to finish eighth in the 15-team Atlantic Coast Conference in the preseason poll, and it needs Terry Henderson's offense to meet or exceed those expectations.

Anthony Barber, who averaged 12.1 points last year, is the only returning Wolfpack player who averaged more than 6.4 points last season. Henderson, a guard who sat out last season after transferring from West Virginia, averaged 11.2 points as a starting guard with the Mountaineers two years ago.

Henderson was in the starting lineup for the Wolfpack's November 13 opener against William & Mary, but he played just seven minutes before he tore ligaments in his right ankle. The school said he would be sidelined six to eight weeks, which means he is likely to return sometime in January.

The Wolfpack lost that opener against William & Mary and is 4-3 heading into Saturday's game against Bucknell. Only two North Carolina State players have made a three-pointer this season, and the Wolfpack need the perimeter threat that Henderson would provide.

Marcus Paige, North Carolina

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Injury: Hand

When It Happened: November 3

Prognosis: He is back

Marcus Paige is the only player on this list who has returned to action as of December 3. But he was included because he is the best player on the team ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason poll, and his broken hand was the most publicized injury of November.

He fractured the third metacarpal on his right hand in practice on November 3, causing him to miss the first six games.

Paige was a preseason pick as co-ACC player of the year, and his absence illustrated his impact on the team in two games. On November 21, North Carolina blew a 16-point, second-half lead in a loss to Northern Iowa, which was picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Tar Heels hit just five of 18 three-point shots in that game. It is hard to imagine North Carolina letting a lead like that slip away if Paige had been on the court.

Then, in his first game back, against No. 2-ranked Maryland on December 1, Paige scored a team-high 20 points, hitting four of his five three-point attempts, with five assists and one turnover in an 89-81 victory. The Tar Heels resembled a No. 1 team again that night, primarily because Paige provided the perimeter threat and stability they needed.