Freshman forward Caleb Wilson has led North Carolina’s campaign this college basketball season, averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting 57.8% from the field and 71.4% from the free-throw line.
But on February 10, he sustained a left-hand fracture in the Tar Heels’ loss to Miami, forcing him to miss games against Pittsburgh, North Carolina State, and Syracuse. On Monday, No. 16 North Carolina faces a challenging task against No. 21 Louisville, and the star forward’s continued absence could affect the Tar Heels’ quest for a better NCAA Tournament seed.
ACC Preliminary Injury Report Reveals Caleb Wilson Remains Out for Louisville Clash
The Atlantic Coast Conference released its preliminary report on Monday for the Louisville-North Carolina showdown. The Cardinals report a fully healthy lineup for the key clash at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
At the same time, the Tar Heels have four players listed on the injury report, including Wilson, who remains “out” for the game, along with James Brown and Ivan Matlekovic.
Center Henri Veesaar, who returned in Saturday’s game against Syracuse after missing two games due to a lower-body injury and illness, was listed as probable for the Louisville-North Carolina clash, which will tip off at 7:00 p.m. EST.
The 7’0″ Veesaar played solidly in his return against the Orange, tallying 19 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 blocks to lead the Tar Heels to a 77-64 win. The Estonian shot 9 of 13 from the field, including 1 of 3 from beyond the arc, in 26 minutes of action for Hubert Davis’ men.
Without Veesaar and Wilson, Davis inserted Jarin Stevenson and Zayden High into the starting five against NC State and Pittsburgh, and they averaged a combined 30.0 points. However, the Tar Heels’ loss to the Wolfpack made it clear they needed at least one of their two top scorers to have a good chance of winning the game.
It will be a different story against Louisville, which will parade a full lineup at the Smith Center. Since losing to Duke by 31 points, Pat Kelsey and the Cardinals have won six of their past seven games, including the 118-77 drubbing of NC State. In their 87-70 win against Georgia Tech, four starters scored at least 14 points, outclassing the Yellow Jackets.
Guards Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell remain Louisville’s 1-2 punch and were ably supported by fellow starters J’Vonne Hadley, Isaac McKneely, and Sananda Fru. However, their road record will be in question for Monday’s game, as they are 3-5 this season. The Cardinals will face a tough challenge as visitors, as the Tar Heels, despite health issues, are 15-0 at home this season.
On Sunday, NCAA Tournament selection committee chairman Keith Gill said during CBS’s Top 16 seeds reveal coverage that injuries to key players would be a major factor in selecting the 68 best teams for the tournament.
“It’s a great question because the context matters,” Gill said. “We’re trying to really have a nuanced evaluation of wins and losses, so player availability is really important.”
He also discussed North Carolina’s situation, noting that injuries to their key players are significant, especially given how rapidly the seedings have shifted each week.
The Tar Heels would need to win as many games as possible to gain better leverage in the seeding department once Wilson returns from his injury.
