UCLA vs Washington basketball injury report and predictions, February 29: Latest on Franck Kepnang, Wesley Yates III and more

The UCLA Bruins (14-13, 9-7 Pac-12) will chase their fourth straight road win when they visit the Washington Huskies (15-13, 7-10) on Thursday night. This conference matchup will tip off at 10:30 p.m. EST on FS1 in Seattle, Washington.

UCLA is in fifth place in the Pac-12, coming off of back-to-back losses after winning six in a row. Washington is 3-2 in its previous five games, losing its most recent game 91-75 to No. 4 Arizona on Saturday.

Here are the latest updates on injuries for these teams as they enter the final stretch of their seasons.

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UCLA vs. Washington basketball injuries

UCLA has no players listed on the injury report; however, a few players are injured for the Huskies.

Franck Kepnang, Washington

Washington coach Mike Hopkins said last week that senior center Franck Kepnang will miss the rest of the season after suffering a right knee injury.

When Kepnang made an awkward landing and injured his knee on Dec. 17, the Huskies were hoping he would return in 4-6 weeks. However, after returning to team practices, his recovery didn't go as planned, and Washington elected to shut him down for the season.

This devastating end to Kepnang's season comes after he underwent arthroscopic surgery for a right anterior cruciate ligament tear last season. After spending two seasons at Oregon, Kepnang has played just 18 total games in two seasons at Washington.

Wesley Yates III, Washington

Freshman Wesley Yates III was shut down for the Huskies before the start of this season, opting to redshirt his first season with a lingering foot injury.

Yates was a four-star recruit and the 37th-ranked prospect on ESPN's top 100. He attended Beaumont United in Texas before committing to Washington. He is a young star with a bright future for the Huskies, as they elect to take the cautious approach this season and allow Yates time to fully recover for next season.

Christian King, Washington

Christian King is the second freshman for the Huskies who has opted to redshirt his first season. Christian is the son of NBA player Rich King and will be able to play next season while maintaining four seasons of eligibility after not playing in any games for Washington this season.

UCLA vs. Washington predictions

The Washington Huskies enter as 3.5 favorites, with the over/under set at 139.5. This is the second time this season these two teams have met, with their last contest being a 73-61 UCLA victory on Jan. 14.

Washington got off to a slow start in the first matchup, posting just 22 points in the first half. They shot just 24.0% from deep against UCLA's far more efficient 42.9% 3-point percentage.

Leading the Huskies in scoring, senior forward Keion Brooks Jr. averages a team-high 21.0 points per game and is among the top 15 scorers in the country. Brooks will be looking for a better performance against the Bruins this time around after tallying 12 points on just 3-for-9 shooting in their last matchup.

UCLA looks to earn its 10th straight victory over the Huskies dating to 2020. The Bruins are led by freshman guard Sebastian Mack. Mack averages 13.1 ppg, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists this season.

Mack finished with 10 points and 3 assists in the Bruins' previous matchup with Washington. His performance, paired with 22 points from Adem Bona and 15 points and seven rebounds from Lazar Stefanovic, led the Bruins to a 12-point victory in that contest.

This is expected to be a close game that could come down to which team possesses the ball last. This time around, the Huskies will need to get off to a better start from the jump. If Keion Brooks Jr. has the kind of performance that's come to be expected from him, the Huskies can even up the season series.

Pick: Washington Huskies to cover -3.5 points

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