THE ENERGY INSIDE THE Dean E. Smith Center IS ELECTRIC, THE CROWD IS LOUD, AND THE STAKES ARE HIGH — BUT THE North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball WILL TAKE THE FLOOR WITHOUT THEIR DOMINANT STARTING CENTER, Henri Veesaar, IN THE STARTING LINEUP AGAINST THE Pittsburgh Panthers men’s basketball.
IN A DEVELOPING STORY THAT HAS CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF TAR HEEL NATION, VEESAAR — WHO HAS STARTED THE FIRST 24 GAMES OF THE SEASON — IS NOT STARTING DUE TO AN ONGOING ILLNESS AND A LOWER-EXTREMITY ISSUE. WHILE HE WAS PRESENT FOR PREGAME STRETCHING ON ROY WILLIAMS COURT, HE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN DRILLS BEFORE TIPOFF, SIGNALING THAT UNC IS PRIORITIZING HIS HEALTH AND LONG-TERM AVAILABILITY.
THIS SEASON, VEESAAR HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF A FORCE IN THE PAINT. AVERAGING AN IMPRESSIVE 16.4 POINTS AND 9 REBOUNDS PER GAME, THE 7-FOOTER HAS PROVIDED CONSISTENCY, TOUGHNESS, AND A RELIABLE INTERIOR PRESENCE FOR A TEAM WITH CHAMPIONSHIP ASPIRATIONS. HIS ABSENCE FROM THE STARTING FIVE IS SIGNIFICANT — BUT IT IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY.
UNC RETURNS HOME AFTER A TOUGH ROAD STRETCH, LOOKING TO DEFEND ITS PERFECT RECORD AT THE SMITH CENTER. ENTERING THE MATCHUP AT 19-5 OVERALL AND 7-4 IN ACC PLAY, THE 11TH-RANKED TAR HEELS HAVE TURNED THEIR HOME ARENA INTO A FORTRESS. A WIN TONIGHT WOULD PUSH THEM TO A REMARKABLE 15-0 AT HOME — A TESTAMENT TO THEIR DISCIPLINE, DEPTH, AND RESOLVE.
THE CHALLENGE AGAINST PITT IS REAL. THE PANTHERS, DESPITE THEIR 9-16 RECORD AND 2-10 MARK IN THE ACC, HAVE SHOWN THEY CAN BE COMPETITIVE AND DANGEROUS WHEN GIVEN AN OPENING. UNC KNOWS THAT COMPLACENCY IS NOT AN OPTION — ESPECIALLY WITHOUT ONE OF ITS MOST PRODUCTIVE BIG MEN IN THE STARTING LINEUP.
ADDING TO THE ADVERSITY, FRESHMAN CALEB WILSON REMAINS OUT WITH A FRACTURED LEFT HAND. HIS PRESENCE ON THE BENCH ALONGSIDE VEESAAR DURING WARMUPS WAS A VISIBLE REMINDER OF THE TEAM’S CURRENT INJURY CHALLENGES. WITH BOTH WILSON AND VEESAAR SIDELINED, THE TAR HEELS ARE NOW DOWN TO THREE POST PLAYERS: JARIN STEVENSON, ZAYDEN HIGH, AND JOHN HOLBROOK.
THIS MOMENT CALLS FOR LEADERSHIP — AND OPPORTUNITY.
ZAYDEN HIGH AND JARIN STEVENSON STEP INTO THE FRONTCOURT AS STARTERS, TASKED WITH HOLDING DOWN THE PAINT, PROTECTING THE RIM, AND CONTROLLING THE BOARDS. THEIR ENERGY, DEFENSIVE INTENSITY, AND WILLINGNESS TO COMPETE WILL SET THE TONE EARLY. JOHN HOLBROOK PROVIDES ADDITIONAL SIZE AND DEPTH OFF THE BENCH, READY TO CONTRIBUTE WHEN HIS NUMBER IS CALLED.
THIS IS WHERE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS ARE TESTED.
GREAT PROGRAMS ARE NOT DEFINED BY ADVERSITY — THEY ARE REVEALED BY IT.
HEAD COACH HUBERT DAVIS HAS CONSISTENTLY PREACHED TOUGH
