North Carolina will not have Kendall Marshall for its Sweet 16 game against Ohio Friday night.
Freshman point guard Stilman White will get the start, but expect senior Justin Watts to see plenty of playing time. He’s a superior defender to the true freshman White.
The Tar Heels (31-5) are the Midwest’s No. 1 seed and are double-digit favorites against No. 13 Ohio, the lowest-seeded team remaining in the tournament. With three future NBA lottery picks in the frontcourt -- Tyler Zeller, John Henson and Harrison Barnes -- the Heels aren’t lacking for talent. Expect them to look for the big guys early and often.
Marshall, who had surgery Monday to repair a fractured right wrist, tweeted his support for the team Friday evening. “We are still Carolina Basketball. #RiseAsOne #PassFir5t.”
White has played a total of 136 minutes this season. Marshall plays about 33 minutes a game.
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