Everyone expected the game against Miami on Tuesday to be a trap game for North Carolina since it came after its emotional, thrilling last-second victory over Duke. While the Tar Heels losing to Miami is one thing, as some people thought it could happen, nobody could predict Caleb Wilson’s injury. North Carolina announced that Wilson had suffered a broken hand. It was originally reported that he had suffered a sprained wrist, but after undergoing more testing it was found he had fractured his hand.
It also couldn’t have happened at a worse time.
After its matchup against Pitt on Saturday, five of UNC’s next six games are Quad 1 games, and three of the five are against ranked teams.
Next Tuesday, the Tar Heels will take on NC State at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. In Will Wade’s first season, the Wolfpack have greatly improved, as they are 18-7 and are in prime position to make the NCAA Tournament.
The following game is a road trip to upstate New York against Syracuse in what should be a tough game, as the Orange nearly came back against the Tar Heels in their first meeting this season on Feb. 2.
After that, the Tar Heels will have three straight home games against well-coached Virginia Tech (18-7, 6-6 ACC), No. 24 Louisville (18-6, 8-4 ACC) and No. 20 Clemson (20-5, 10-2 ACC). Then, of course, the season finale at Cameron Indoor Stadium against No. 4 Duke, which is out to get revenge.
Even though North Carolina is still a good team without Wilson, that’s a tough stretch for anybody considering how much the freshman forward does for UNC.
Wilson leads the Tar Heels with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He has set UNC freshman records by scoring in double figures in all 24 games to begin his career and with 17 20-point games. Wilson leads the nation in dunks with 66 and ranks among the top five in the ACC in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting (.578) and double-doubles (11).
While Seth Trimble is the vocal leader due to his experience, as well as being the only player on UNC who has spent all four years at the school, Wilson is seen as the emotional leader, as he often makes big plays that can energize his team whenever they are in a rut.
While everyone waits for a timetable for his return, Carolina will have to have a next-man-up mentality. Henri Veesaar has been a great complement to Wilson in the frontcourt, and Jarin Stevenson will provide the versatility needed in Wilson’s absence. Trimble and the rest of the backcourt will have to take on more responsibility than usual.
Head coach Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels are no strangers to significant injuries. Trimble missed more than a month earlier this season, but North Carolina lost only one game in his absence. While UNC will still be in the NCAA Tournament, Wilson’s injury will greatly impact this team down the stretch, and it could affect its tournament seeding if the Tar Heels drop several games in the coming weeks.
