 "Photo: DTH File Photo")
The No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels will have three full days of rest under their belts when they play Virginia Tech at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Smith Center - and boy, do they need them.
UNC is beyond just "banged up," with injuries affecting what seems like the majority of the team.
Ty Lawson remains sidelined by his troublesome left ankle; Marcus Ginyard sprained one ankle and has turf toe on the other; Deon Thompson hyperextended his left knee against Virginia on Tuesday; and key substitute Bobby Frasor is out for the season.
The seemingly unlimited depth that defined UNC at the start of the year has depleted to the point that the Tar Heels found themselves with the hobbled Ginyard at point guard for long stretches.
After losing to Duke on Feb. 6, which coach Roy Williams said still affects the team, the Tar Heels needed 50 intense minutes to beat Clemson in two overtimes Sunday.
"Then to turn around less than 48 hours later and play up here, we have to get some rest," Williams said after the UVa. win. "Virginia Tech has a whole week to prepare for us. I would like to have a whole week, but we do not, and whatever we have, we have to take, because we planned the schedule."
Looking ahead
In Virginia Tech, the Tar Heels face a gutsy team that sits at 5-5 in the ACC with three overtime conference wins. While the Hokies are coming off two straight losses, Chapel Hill was kind to them last year. The Hokies managed to pull off the season sweep by beating UNC 81-80 in overtime in the Smith Center.
While the nucleus of last year's squad - senior guards Zabian Dowdell and Jamon Gordon - are gone, high-flying Deron Washington is still in uniform for Va. Tech.
Devoted ACC fans should know the uber-athletic Washington from some of his YouTube highlights, most notably the play last year where he literally jumped over Duke's Greg Paulus for a layup.
Cutting it close
While North Carolina has lost only two games this season and sits at No. 5 in the polls, the Tar Heels certainly don't specialize in blowing teams out.
Granted, injuries have contributed, but UNC has had three overtime games and three other games decided by two points or less during its 10 ACC games this season - including Tuesday's 75-74 win in Charlottesville.
Not exactly a recipe for ample rest time on the bench for the starters.
"It's going to help us in the long run," said junior Danny Green. "I think it's showing now how down the stretch in close games, we always can come through and get the plays that we need, make free throws and get the stops that we need. We're still learning from everything that we do."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
