Notre Dame Freshman Jalen Haralson Out vs. Georgia Tech

Ankle injury sidelines star player for crucial ACC matchup

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Notre Dame freshman guard Jalen Haralson will miss Saturday's game against Georgia Tech due to an ankle injury he sustained during the team's loss to SMU earlier this week. Haralson, the No. 20 player in the 2025 Rivals recruiting class, has been a bright spot for the struggling Irish, averaging 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

Why it matters

Notre Dame is in real danger of missing the ACC tournament, sitting tied for 16th in the conference standings. The matchup against Georgia Tech, another team tied for 16th, is essentially a must-win game for the Irish's postseason hopes. Haralson's absence is a significant blow, as he has been the team's primary offensive initiator since star junior point guard Markus Burton underwent ankle surgery in December.

The details

Haralson injured his ankle during Notre Dame's loss to SMU on Tuesday night and tweaked it again during practice this week. Junior guard Logan Imes will start in Haralson's place against Georgia Tech.

  • Haralson was injured during Notre Dame's loss to SMU on Tuesday, February 11, 2026.
  • Haralson tweaked his ankle again during practice this week, leading to his absence for the Georgia Tech game on Saturday, February 15, 2026.

The players

Jalen Haralson

A freshman guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, ranked as the No. 20 player in the 2025 Rivals recruiting class. He has been a bright spot for the struggling Irish, averaging 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

Markus Burton

The star junior point guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who underwent ankle surgery after a grisly injury on December 7, 2025 at TCU.

Logan Imes

A junior guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who will start in place of the injured Jalen Haralson against Georgia Tech.

Micah Shrewsberry

The third-year head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“It's a particularly damaging loss for an Irish team that sits at 11-14 (2-10 ACC) and is in real danger of missing the conference tournament.”

— Jack Soble, Reporter (on3.com)

What’s next

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will need to find a way to win against Georgia Tech on Saturday, February 15, 2026 without their star freshman Jalen Haralson, in order to keep their hopes of making the ACC tournament alive.

The takeaway

Jalen Haralson's ankle injury is a significant blow to a struggling Notre Dame team that is fighting to make the ACC tournament. The Irish will need to find a way to win without their star freshman, as the matchup against Georgia Tech is essentially a must-win game for their postseason hopes.