ESPN Men's Basketball

ST. LOUIS -- North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall will not play in Friday's NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal against Ohio, a team spokesman said.

Freshman Stilman White, who has averaged 4.3 minutes per game this season, will start in his place.

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The first day of the Sweet 16 featured plenty of drama.

Wisconsin lost to No. 1 seed Syracuse after botching its final possession. Michigan State forgot how to score. Ohio State won the battle between two in-state schools. Florida continued its surge with a win over Marquette.

What will Day 2 bring?

Xavier (10) vs. Baylor (3), 7:15 p.m. ET, CBS

Things to know: Both teams have endured their fair share of criticism this year.

A December brawl with intra-city rival Cincinnati nearly ruined Xavier’s season. There were suspensions and public remarks about the incident from people around the country.

The fight seemed to take the wind out of a Xavier team that entered the year on numerous “Final Four dark horse” lists. Then, the scuffle happened and Xavier lost five of its next six.

But the Musketeers have begun the process of restoring their image. Tu Holloway has scored a combined 46 points in Xavier’s NCAA tourney victories over Lehigh and Notre Dame. This edgy, tough bunch will certainly put up a fight against a talented Baylor team, especially if Dezmine Wells can go.

Baylor has all of the tools to reach the Final Four in New Orleans. Some are even picking the Bears to upset Kentucky because they have the length and athleticism to match the Wildcats.

But the Bears have fallen short of their potential for most of the season. Perry Jones III, a possible lottery pick, has been inconsistent (nine points combined in two tourney victories). Scott Drew’s coaching decisions have been questioned.

Still, the Bears have a chance to reach their second Elite Eight in three years if they get past the Musketeers.

Look for Xavier to pressure the perimeter and try to neutralize Brady Heslip (9-for-12 from beyond the arc in Baylor's third-round win over Colorado). Kenny Frease will throw his weight around for buckets in the paint. Look for the Bears to continuously work their inside-outside game.

The journey: Xavier beat Notre Dame and Lehigh to reach the Sweet 16. Baylor defeated South Dakota State and Colorado.

Monitor his progress: Frease has scored in the single digits in four of his team’s last seven losses. The big man’s bulk will be vital for the Musketeers inside the paint.

Numbers to impress your friends: Heslip doesn’t have to dribble to score. He’s recorded his 14 field goals in the Big Dance via catch-and-shoot plays, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Game’s most critical question: Will Frease make an impact against Baylor’s length and athleticism?

The matchup: Frease against Quincy Acy. Two talented big men who don’t mind contact. Could get scrappy.

Don’t touch that remote because ... Baylor has one of the most impressive assemblies in the field on paper. But Xavier has a tough crew, too. Might be game of the night.

North Carolina (1) vs. Ohio (13), 7:47 p.m ET, TBS

Things to know: Ohio wasn’t expected to reach this point. But junior D.J. Cooper has been a gem for the Bobcats. He has recorded 40 points and 12 assists in NCAA tourney wins over Michigan and South Florida.

Cooper might be the most important player in the remaining field. He’s scored or assisted on 56 percent of the team’s 71 points, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Looking for this year’s Steph Curry? Cooper has earned that tag.

Ohio is facing a North Carolina team that will likely compete without its starting point guard. Kendall Marshall had surgery on a broken wrist earlier this week. He suffered the injury in the team’s third-round win over Creighton. Coach Roy Williams said he has a “strong inclination” that Marshall will not play against Ohio.

The Tar Heels are still the superior group without him. John Henson, Tyler Zeller and Harrison Barnes can lead the program to a Saturday matchup against the winner of NC State-Kansas.

The Tar Heels are ninth in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted tempo ratings. They’ll certainly push the pace against the Bobcats.

Look for the Bobcats, however, to pressure new point guard Stilman White, Marshall’s replacement if he can’t go. The freshman has averaged just 4.3 minutes per game. Look for North Carolina to use its length and talent to overwhelm the Bobcats.

The journey: North Carolina defeated Vermont and Creighton to reach the Sweet 16. Ohio had to outplay Michigan and South Florida to reach the Sweet 16.

Monitor his progress: White might be the starting point guard for a North Carolina team that’s capable of reaching New Orleans, but he’s never played under these lights. Hard to know what to expect from the youngster. But he just became one of the most important players on the floor.

Numbers to impress your friends: Life without Marshall might not end well. The sophomore point guard has assisted on 41 percent of North Carolina’s points since the start of ACC play, per ESPN Stats & Info. North Carolina’s 38.4 points per game in the paint are the top mark among major-conference schools.

Game’s most critical question: How quickly will White adjust to his new role as starting point guard?

The matchup: Cooper versus White. Cooper is a veteran guard who’s put Ohio on the national radar with two great performances in his first two NCAA tournament games. White will have his hands full.

Don’t touch that remote because ... Ohio continues to surpass expectations. And North Carolina could crumble without Marshall.

Indiana (4) vs. Kentucky (1), 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS

Things to know: Get your popcorn ready for this one.

On Dec. 10, Indiana beat Kentucky at Assembly Hall and changed the trajectory of its season. Christian Watford’s 3-pointer at the buzzer. Court-storming. Players standing atop the scorers’ table. Legendary.

And here we go again.

A rematch, but both teams have matured since that game. Following that loss to Indiana, Kentucky didn’t lose again until the SEC tournament title game.

From Dec. 28 through Feb. 1, the Hoosiers went 5-6. But they’ve amassed a 10-2 record since that rocky sequence.

Cody Zeller’s transformation from impressive freshman to potential lottery pick helped the Hoosiers reach the Sweet 16. Zeller, ranked seventh in John Hollinger’s PER ratings (31.16), recorded 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals in his team’s second-round win over New Mexico State. He followed that up with 16 points and 13 rebounds against VCU.

With the assistance of Zeller’s development and a 43.7 percent clip from the 3-point line (No. 2 in the country), the Hoosiers possess the No. 4 offense in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings.

But against Kentucky, it’s always a game of “anything you can do I can do better.” The Wildcats have the No. 2 offense in Pomeroy’s efficiency ratings. They’re ninth in defensive efficiency.

They have Anthony Davis (14.3 ppg, 10.1 rpg and 4.6 bpg), too.

After that Indiana loss, the Wildcats stopped all arguments about the best team in America. They separated themselves from the field and entered the NCAA tournament as the favorites to win it all.

That hasn’t changed.

In this matchup, look for the Hoosiers to attack Davis again -- he picked up early fouls in the first game -- and hoist 3s early to stretch Kentucky’s defense. Look for the Wildcats to burst up the floor off misses and turn this into an up-and-down affair.

The journey: Indiana beat New Mexico State then dismissed VCU with clutch plays down the stretch. Kentucky beat Western Kentucky then overcame Royce White’s 23-point, nine-rebound effort to beat Iowa State.

Monitor his progress: The Wildcats are a different squad without Davis on the floor. The Wildcats were outscored by 12 points during the 16 minutes the team had to go without Davis because of foul trouble in the first Indiana-Kentucky game in Bloomington.

Numbers to impress your friends: Davis is one of the toughest defenders in recent history. Teams are perplexed as they try to find ways to score with Davis inside. But he’s not just a post defender. Davis has blocked 14 3-point attempts this season, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Game’s most critical question: If Davis picks up early fouls, can Kentucky still win?

The matchup: Davis versus Zeller. Must-see TV.

Don’t touch that remote because ... This is Indiana-Kentucky: The Rematch. It’s that simple.

North Carolina State (11) vs. Kansas (2), 10:17 p.m. ET, TBS

Things to know: NC State lost four in a row in February. The Wolfpack were the last to hear their name called on Selection Sunday.

But the Wolfpack revived their entire season with a surprising outing in Columbus last week. The 11-seed upset San Diego State in the second round. The Aztecs didn’t have answers for NC State’s size and athleticism. Then, the Wolfpack recovered from a 10-point deficit in the first half to beat Georgetown, a No. 3 seed.

It’s all coming together at the perfect time for Mark Gottfried’s team. C.J. Leslie, a player whose effort has been questioned in the past, is leading the charge.

But they’re going into an environment that will resemble a home game for the Jayhawks. The Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis will be packed with Kansas fans. And that’s just the start of NC State’s worries.

The Wolfpack have to deal with National Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson (16 points and 13 rebounds in a second-round win over Detroit; 11 points and 13 rebounds in a third-round win over Purdue) and one of the best defensive teams in the country (No. 5 in Pomeroy’s defensive efficiency ratings).

The Jayhawks were on the verge of suffering an upset late in the third round, but a Purdue turnover gave the squad the opportunity it needed to secure the win in the final minutes. Part of Kansas’ challenges thus far are tied to its subpar shooting. Its 26.3 field goal percentage outside the paint in its first two games was the worst mark entering the Sweet 16, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Look for NC State to push the pace and find Scott Wood (41.7 percent from beyond the arc this season) and Lorenzo Brown (3-for-5 from the 3-point line in the NCAA tourney) on the perimeter. Look for Kansas to feed Robinson and Jeff Withey and challenge NC State’s frontcourt.

The journey: Kansas beat Detroit in its first game and escaped Purdue in its third-round win. The Wolfpack defeated San Diego State and Georgetown to reach the Sweet 16.

Monitor his progress: Tyshawn Taylor (17.3 ppg) is one of the most explosive guards in the tourney. But he’s committed 16 turnovers in the team’s last five games. Similar mistakes in Friday’s game could give the Wolfpack the opening to pull off the upset.

Numbers to impress your friends: NC State has scored 58 points in the paint (38 against San Diego State and 20 against Georgetown).

Game’s most critical question: Will 7-footer Withey (11 points) show up?

The matchup: Leslie versus Robinson. This matchup between a pair of talented forwards will have a critical impact on the outcome of the game.

Don’t touch that remote because ... Kansas hasn’t looked great thus far. NC State has surpassed expectations. A third upset for the Wolfpack is possible.

ST. LOUIS -- Ohio point guard D.J. Cooper received so many messages after his 13^th-seeded team topped South Florida to reach the NCAA Sweet 16 that he couldn’t keep count.

But the most special one came from his mom, Dionne.

“She has this habit of texting me during the game -- even though I can’t read them until after," he said, noting that he’ll sometimes have five or six waiting for him after the final horn. “In this one, she told me how proud she was of me, and how much she loved me. She always does … but that was an especially good feeling, in that moment.”

The goal now: to experience a similar feeling (and moment) after his team’s matchup with top-seeded North Carolina on Friday night at the Edward Jones Dome.

With Tar Heels point guard Kendall Marshall’s availability in doubt after surgery to repair his fractured wrist Monday, Cooper’s play will be especially key to whether the Bobcats -- the lowest-seeded squad to make a regional semifinal since Bradley in 2006 -- keep their postseason run alive.

The 5-foot-11 athlete from Chicago averages 14.9 points, but more importantly, 2.3 steals a game on a team that ranks fourth in the nation in swipes per contest (9.3 per game) and sixth in turnover margin (plus-4.2).

That’s important against a foe that might have to start a freshman point guard (Stilman White) who is averaging only 4.3 minutes per game.

“All year, coach has been talking about playing with our hands up, keeping it tight, being able to guard our yard," Cooper said. “And that’s what we have to do Friday, too, no matter which [point] guard we’re playing against.”

Also key against the Tar Heels will be getting back in transition. Not only does UNC play fast but it boasts one of the best frontcourts in the country in 7-foot Tyler Zeller, 6-11 John Henson and 6-8 Harrison Barnes. The tallest contributors in the Bobcats’ rotation are 6-8, and no one averages more than five rebounds per game.

Still, Henson called Ohio a dangerous team.

“They're shooting better than they shot all year, 3-point wise, playing more confident," he said. “I mean, even in practice, when our [scout] guys are running their offense, it's tough to guard. So it's going to be a challenge, and we're going to play hard and see what happens.”

Ohio coach John Groce said his team is preparing as if Marshall will play but has contingency plans if he does not.

And even though he doesn’t know exactly who his opponent will be, Cooper is sure of one thing: His mom will be sending texts throughout the game, offering comments and feedback.

“It’s fun to look back and read what she was thinking," he said, smiling.

He hopes that looking back after Friday’s game will give him that especially good feeling again.

WHO TO WATCH:

OHIO: Cooper. The junior is a do-it-all guy, averaging 20 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists in the NCAA tournament. “He's really a gifted kid who, the last couple games, has really been dominant for them," UNC coach Roy Williams said.

NORTH CAROLINA: White and Justin Watts. UNC’s bigger guys should be able to have big games -- if the fill-in point guards can get them the ball. White and Watts, the third and fourth ballhandling options at the beginning of the season, have 24 assists combined this season. Marshall, by comparison, had 21 in his previous two games. Williams has stressed that these two don’t need to play like the Cousy Award finalist, but they do need to protect the ball from the thief-prone Bobcats and get it into the hands of the playmakers.

WHAT TO WATCH: Outside vs. inside.

Ohio has made 15 of 34 3-pointers in the NCAA tournament, led by Cooper and Walter Offutt. That’s been an Achilles' heel for the Tar Heels, who struggled against foes (at Florida State and versus Duke, for instance) that got hot from behind the arc.

North Carolina, meanwhile, is at its best when its frontcourt is playing its best. UNC needs Zeller, Henson, Barnes and James Michael McAdoo to use their size advantage on the boards -- and to finish plays.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

ST. LOUIS -- North Carolina sophomore Harrison Barnes jokingly pondered recently exactly how play-every-position senior Justin Watts prepared for a game: Does he work on his dribbling, Barnes asked, or on defending big guys in the post?

Friday’s game against Ohio is easier in one respect: With starting point guard Kendall Marshall questionable to play because of a fractured right wrist, Watts will be working on the former.

“I’m ready,’’ Watts said Thursday. “If my number is called, I’ll be ready.”

That’s been the 6-foot-5 athlete’s mantra throughout his tenure in Chapel Hill. A natural wing, he played a lot of power forward when the Tar Heels were thin in the post last season. This year, after backup point guard/starting shooting guard Dexter Strickland tore his ACL in January, he played two stints at ballhandler -- a position he’s not totally unfamiliar with.

“The first position I played with my AAU team was point guard,’’ Watts said. “So I’ve got a little of that under my belt.”

Keep that in perspective, though. Freshman Stilman White (who will likely start if Marshall is a scratch) and Watts have combined for only 24 assists this season. Marshall had 21 in his previous two games.

“[Kendall] just told me to be myself, to play my game, to get the ball to my teammates,’’ Watts said.

“…It’s not about me, it’s about what I need to do to help my team win.”

ZELLERS’ CHOICE: Steve and Lorri Zeller said during the ACC tournament that if their two younger sons (UNC’s Tyler, and Indiana’s Cody) made the NCAA tournament in different brackets, they’d follow the elder one.

They’re sticking with it, and will be at the Edward Jones Dome to watch Tyler play Ohio, while Cody plays Kentucky in Atlanta on Friday.

“Both my parents are coming here because of seniority,” Tyler said.

JAYHAWK TALK: Coach Roy Williams said he was out for his morning walk Thursday when a passerby said, “Rock Chalk Jayhawk.”

His response, he said, was “Go KU.”

Old feelings die hard, even with the chance that his Tar Heels could meet up with his old team, the Jayhawks, on Sunday if both prevail Friday (Kansas plays NC State).

“I'll be ecstatic if we're still playing on Sunday regardless of who we're playing,’’ Williams said. “And I'm a Kansas fan. I'm a North Carolina fan first. For 15 years I was a North Carolina fan, but I was a Kansas fan first."

THE OTHER WRIST WATCH: UNC forward John Henson, who missed three games because of a sprained left wrist before returning Sunday against Creighton, said his wrist is feeling better; it remained wrapped during Thursday’s open practice.

Asked if he wished people were writing his number (31) on their wrists, like they’re now doing with Marshall’s No. 5, he said: “No. He actually broke his … so he’s a little more deserving of that.”

QUOTE-WORTHY: Williams on Marshall: “I just know the kid tells me he can't brush his teeth yet, how the dickens can he play basketball game if he can't brush his teeth? I mean, he can go out there with bad breath, but you still got to be able to play the dadgum game.”

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

ST. LOUIS -- North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall said he does not know whether he will be able to play when his top-seeded team plays No. 13 Ohio on Friday in the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals.

"Every day it's getting better, but it's a day-to-day basis, whether I'm going to play," Marshall said Thursday. "If we had to jump ball right now, I wouldn't be playing."

Marshall had surgery Monday to place a screw in his right wrist, which he fractured during Sunday's win over Creighton. His cast was removed Wednesday, and the left-handed ballhandler is now wearing a removable splint.

He did not practice with the team Thursday morning, he said, and has not handled a basketball since his injury.

Click here for the rest of the story.

ST. LOUIS -- Hoggard (Wilmington, N.C.) High coach Brett Queen won't be at the Edward Jones Dome this weekend to watch top-seeded North Carolina play in the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals.

“I’m saving my money for the Final Four in New Orleans,’’ he said.

That’s how much confidence he has that his former point guard, Stilman White -- who may have to play extended minutes, at the very least, with starter Kendall Marshall's status in question -- will help UNC to get there.

“I spent a lot of time handing the ball to him, and watching him do what needed to be done to help us win,’’ Queen said. “And I’m sure he’ll do the same thing for North Carolina.”

With Marshall’s status unclear for Friday’s game against No. 13 seed Ohio because of a fractured right wrist, the Tar Heels have been preparing White and senior wing Justin Watts to run the point.

What a whirlwind.

This time last year, White never expected to be in this position. Heck, he didn’t really think he’d be playing competitive basketball.

The 6-foot, 160-pounder originally planned to serve a two-year Mormon mission right after high school before eventually playing basketball at Utah State, BYU or UNC-Wilmington.
That was before the Tar Heels, who were in need of another point guard after Larry Drew II transferred near midseason last year, came calling.

“And I fell in love with this place,’’ White said of Chapel Hill.

He was supposed to be an insurance policy, a guy to play behind Marshall and Dexter Strickland. Maybe even hit a shot or two while competing with the walk-ons at the end of blowouts.

Instead, UNC’s coaches had to cash in that policy in mid-January, when Strickland suffered a season-ending knee surgery. All of a sudden, White was in the game at more crucial times, spelling Marshall around timeouts. He didn’t necessarily play a lot more minutes -- only 4.3 per game for the season -- but he played more key minutes, enough to give Marshall more of a breather.

And teammates saw growth.

"When he first got out there, we were a little scared that he might have an anxiety attack or pass out," teammate Harrison Barnes said, laughing. "He looks more fluid out there and he can kind of push the ball and get up and down."

But fluid enough?

Against Ohio, White will face a small, quick perimeter, led by 5-foot-10 playmaker D.J. Cooper, that forces about 17 turnovers a game.

But White and the Tar Heels have several advantages that Ohio does not: 7-foot ACC Player of the Year Tyler Zeller, 6-11 Defensive Player of the Year John Henson, and 6-8 small forward Barnes, a first-team All-ACC selection.

“We’re saying ‘Guys, everybody’s got to elevate your level of play.' Everybody’s got to do a little bit better. You’ve got to do a little bit better on the defensive end; you’ve got to do a little bit better here, a little bit better there,” coach Roy Williams told ESPN’s Mike & Mike in the Morning on Wednesday. “ … But Harrison, John and Tyler, that frontcourt is really good, and we’ve got to be able to get the ball to them. That’s the big thing.”

White, Queen said, can be counted on because he's always risen to the occasion when the pressure is on.

During his first game playing varsity at Hoggard his sophomore season, White stole the ball and laid it in at the buzzer on the road to beat a taller, favored Raleigh-Wakefield team. Starting his junior and senior seasons, he found a way to lead, even when opposing teams were trying to find ways to get the ball out of his hands. He even jumped center a few times when his team needed it.

“He’s never played in the Sweet 16 before, and a lot of fans might look at that as incredible pressure,’’ Queen said. “But when you’re a sophomore playing on varsity, that’s pressure. When you’re a junior and senior and opponents are trying to stop you, but you still need to score and find ways to win, that’s pressure.”

“He’s always thrived in pressure situations,’’ Queen added. “And I expect him to do it again.”

White said earlier this week he has experienced a jumble of emotions since Sunday, when Marshall got hurt: surprise, nervousness, determination.

But he's also excited, because he sees this tournament as an opportunity -- his last as a college player until he returns to UNC from his mission in 2014.

And wouldn’t it be nice to leave with a national championship ring on his finger?

“The NCAA tournament’s new to me, but also knowing that this is the last competitive basketball for a while … I definitely want to live it up now,’’ he said.

“… I’m ready to do whatever the coaching staff asks me to do. Being able to play through the whole ACC season, playing against that level of competition and through hostile environments like that, was huge. My confidence has only risen since then, and it’s shown me that I can play out there with the best of them."

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

Our Sweet 16 preview continues with a look at the matchups in the Midwest Regional on Friday:

(13) Ohio vs. (1) North Carolina, 7:47 ET
According to North Carolina head coach Roy Williams, the Tar Heels are preparing to play Friday’s game without starting point guard Kendall Marshall.

Without Marshall as the primary ball handler, the Tar Heels could have difficulty getting past the Ohio Bobcats tomorrow. Ohio forces 17.2 turnovers per game, the fifth-highest mark in the nation and most among the remaining Sweet 16 teams.

Marshall has also shined as the team’s offensive catalyst during the tournament, creating 80 points in his two games from either his own scoring or assists. Against Creighton, Marshall was responsible for 45 of the team's 87 points (55 percent).

If Marshall is not able to play, North Carolina’s ability to finish in the paint and in transition will likely be hurt. Nearly 30 percent of his 201 assists since the start of ACC play have come in transition.

Also, two-thirds of Marshall's assists in that time frame have resulted in paint shots. Tyler Zeller has been the biggest benefactor during this stretch, with 43 percent of his field goals coming off passes from Marshall.

Ohio’s most indispensable player is guard D.J. Cooper, who will be on the court Friday, and the Bobcats are certainly happy about that. Cooper has scored or assisted on 71 of Ohio’s 127 points (56 percent), the highest percentage for any player remaining in the field.

(11) NC State vs (2) Kansas, 10:17 ET
One key battle to watch in this Sweet 16 matchup will be the ability of NC State’s big men to dominate Kansas' forward-center tandem of Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey around the basket.

The Jayhawks have allowed just 22 points in the paint per game this season, which leads the Big 12 and is second among major conference schools. The Wolfpack are averaging 33 paint points per game this season, which ranks second in the ACC and 11th among the Power 6 teams.

However, NC State struggled to find its inside game against Georgetown in the third round. The Wolfpack shot less than 35 percent and scored just 20 points on attempts in the paint, including only six in the second half.

If Kansas is going to advance to the Elite Eight, the Jayhawks might want to improve their mid-range game. Kansas is shooting 27 percent outside the paint in the tournament, the worst among the remaining teams in the field.

North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall had the cast removed from his fractured right wrist on Wednesday and is now wearing a removable splint, according to the player's father. Robbi Pickeral has the story:

"All I know is he got it off this morning. Swelling is down, incision looks good," Dennis Marshall said in a text to ESPN.com.

Kendall Marshall's status for top-seeded North Carolina's NCAA Midwest Region semifinal game against Ohio on Friday remains undetermined. In an appearance Wednesday on "Mike and Mike in the Morning" on ESPN Radio, coach Roy Williams reiterated that the Tar Heels are still preparing to play without Marshall.

There is still a chance that the Cousy Award finalist, who had surgery Monday to insert a screw into his wrist, could play against 13th-seeded Ohio. But as of right now, Williams said, he has "no idea" what factors will indicate whether Marshall can play, because he's in uncharted territory.

Read the full story here.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- On the bus ride home Sunday, they were depressed.

By practice Tuesday, they were determined.

"We do play well when the cards are stacked against us," North Carolina sophomore Harrison Barnes said.

And that's exactly where the top-seeded Tar Heels find themselves after starting point guard Kendall Marshall underwent surgery Monday to insert a screw into his fractured right wrist. They're rallying around their adversity.

Again.

Over the past two seasons, UNC has found a way to persevere through double-digit deficits, defecting players and lopsided losses -- fighting its way back from a humbling trip to the postseason NIT in 2010 and into NCAA title contention again this season.

Coach Roy Williams acknowledged that possibly losing Marshall (or having him on a limited basis) for the rest of the NCAA tournament is "a heavier dose" of disadvantage than this team has ever faced.

But how UNC responds may get to the crux of the biggest question surrounding this squad: Just how tough are these Tar Heels?

To understand what Marshall means to this team, and how much it has rallied from, you have to go back 13 months to February 2011, when junior point guard Larry Drew II -- who had been replaced by Marshall in the starting lineup for the previous four games -- packed up and moved back to the West Coast in the middle of the ACC season. Drew II didn't even tell his roommate, guard Justin Watts, that he was leaving. His dad was the one who called Williams.

UNC, stunned in the days following, was teetered on a precipice. Would it bond, or become unhinged? The previous summer, twin forwards David and Travis Wear had also suddenly opted to transfer without telling anyone. Just before fall practice, senior leader Will Graves was suspended for the season.

And when Drew abandoned ship, the Tar Heels were still only four games removed from an effort-less 20-point loss at Georgia Tech, a performance that raised doubts about whether they were really any different from the squad that had failed to make the NCAA tournament (for the first time in the Williams era) the previous spring.

"That was really an important time for us," Williams said last season. "Not just how Kendall responded to taking over, but how the team responded to him."

Click here to read the rest of the story.

When North Carolina guard Kendall Marshall fractured his wrist in Sunday's win against Creighton, it was momentarily easy to forget Marshall isn't the most talented or productive player on his team. There's Tyler Zeller and Harrison Barnes and John Henson, and that's just for starters. So why is losing Marshall such a big deal?

Because he is, without question, UNC's most important player. The most efficient? No. The most gifted? Probably not. But there's little question Marshall -- with his visionary, table-setting passing (second nationally in assists), intelligent tempo management and offensive initiation, and the lack of a viable backup -- was/is the most crucial personnel component to Carolina's style, identity and ultimately success.

Which got us thinking: Who is everyone else's Marshall? Who's the most indispensable player on each of the Sweet 16 rosters, the one each team could least afford to lose? Well, we're glad you (OK, we) asked. Here's what we came up with:

South Region

No. 1 Kentucky: Anthony Davis, forward -- No overthinking this one. Sure, there's an argument to be made for Marquis Teague, who appeared for much of the season to be Kentucky's lone potential weakness; Teague's two months of consistently increased success -- culminating in a brilliant performance in a rout of Iowa State -- have cast doubts about whether he could be easily replaced. But one can envision a scenario in which guard Doron Lamb, whose ballhandling is probably slightly underrated at this point, would be able to get UK into its offense. Coach John Calipari would find a way to make it work. Without Davis, the Cats lose a downright transcendent shot-blocking force and the source of countless easy baskets on the other end of the floor, the type of player who opposing coaches frequently say "changes the game." It's Davis, and it's hard to find the counterintuitive argument here.

No. 3 Baylor: Quincy Acy, forward -- While not the most talented big man in Baylor's lineup, Acy's absence would irreparably harm the Bears for two obvious reasons: He scores easy buckets in the low block, and he rebounds. Perry Jones III does some of these same things, too, but hardly to the level Acy does (and not nearly as consistently), and the Bears -- a very good offensive rebounding team that struggles on the defensive glass -- would not be nearly as good on offense were Acy not around to clean up so many misses.

No. 4 Indiana: Cody Zeller, forward -- Again, no use in overthinking this. Zeller is by far IU's leader in offensive efficiency and rebounding, and he has changed the way the Hoosiers -- who were immensely foul-prone the past three years under Tom Crean -- guard the rim and chase down misses. Plus, without him, Indiana's big man rotation would consist of Tom Pritchard and Derek Elston. We've seen that movie before. It was not critically acclaimed.

No. 10 Xavier: Kenny Frease, center -- Sticking with the all-big-men theme here, Frease is the most indispensable player because Xavier really doesn't have another guy who can do what he does, primarily on the glass. If star guard Tu Holloway went missing, the Musketeers would certainly lack for offensive creativity, but they'd have another talented (if mercurial) guard in Mark Lyons, who would no doubt be more than willing to hoist a few extra shots. Without Frease, Chris Mack's team would be in no-man's-land on the low block.

West Region

No. 1 Michigan State: Draymond Green, forward -- When you do this much for your team, your membership on this list requires no explanation. Really, it's not even close.

No. 3 Marquette: Darius Johnson-Odom, guard -- Jae Crowder's breakout senior season has been a huge factor in this team's success, no doubt about it. But DJO's relentless, attacking, bruising style -- not to mention his all-court game, his lockdown perimeter defense and his ability to go end-to-end on the fast break both with rim finishes and pull-up jumpers -- gives this Marquette team its hard-won identity.

No. 4 Louisville: Gorgui Dieng, forward -- I promise, this list isn't all forwards. The obvious answer here is Peyton Siva, but the Cardinals already have a pretty willing on-ball defender and shot-happy penetrator in guard Russ Smith, while Dieng -- a crazy-lanky shot-blocker, rebounder and defensive anchor -- has keyed so much of the Cards' No. 2-ranked per-possession defense this season.

No. 7 Florida: Kenny Boynton, guard -- The original temptation was to go with another big man, in this case Patric Young, but let's be real: The Gators don't use their frontcourt on offense anyway. Which is why Boynton's ability not only to take a lot of long-range jumpers but actually make them at a high rate is so important. That isn't always the case with the rest of this backcourt. Plus, Boynton -- with the possible exception of Bradley Beal -- happens to be Florida's most creative scorer off the dribble, one of the Gators' few players who can do more than chuck long-range shots to fuel this high-powered offense.

Midwest Region

No. 1 North Carolina: Kendall Marshall, guard -- By now, you get the idea.

No. 2 Kansas: Tyshawn Taylor, guard -- The obvious choice is Thomas Robinson and, you know, duh: Dude's a national player of the year candidate for a reason. But at this stage of the season, Kansas' ability to win a national title rests in large part on Taylor's play at the point guard spot. If he is on -- attacking the rim and finding teammates without coughing up turnovers -- he's truly the biggest X factor on Bill Self's team. If he's off, the Jayhawks turn to Elijah Johnson, Travis Releford and ... Conner Teahan? The defense rests.

No. 11 North Carolina State: Lorenzo Brown, guard -- C.J. Leslie has blossomed into this team's most impressive player, but its point guard deserves as much if not more credit for the unlikely late-season Sweet 16 run this Wolfpack team has somehow managed to piece together. On a team with no tournament experience and plenty of young players, Brown's calming influence on the ball is a major asset.

No. 13 Ohio: D.J. Cooper, guard -- Cooper demonstrated his worth with huge shots down the stretch against a South Florida team that prides itself on disallowing exactly the kind of offensive display Cooper generated. For a team with the No. 2-ranked opponents' turnover percentage in the country, Cooper's 4.3 percent steals rate (the 22nd-ranked individual mark in the country) truly makes it go.

East Region

No. 1 Syracuse: C.J. Fair, forward -- It's hard to pick from Syracuse's still-stacked-minus-Fab lineup, but Fair gets the nod. With all due respect to Scoop Jardine, Dion Waiters, Kris Joseph and Brandon Triche, the Orange wouldn't exactly hurt for scoring guards were one of them to suffer an injury. If Fair went down, Jim Boeheim would lose his last truly effective big man, and the only viable interior option this side of Rakeem Christmas and Baye Keita.

No. 2 Ohio State: William Buford, guard -- This is a bit of a tricky one, because there's simply no replacing Jared Sullinger's interior prowess or Aaron Craft's incredible perimeter defense. But if OSU is truly a national title threat -- and it looks the part thus far -- that's because Buford, who struggled with his shot in nearly every Ohio State loss this season, isn't cashing in from the perimeter. Having Buford as a go-to option on the outside only aids Sullinger's load and takes as much pressure off Craft and the rest of the Buckeyes as possible. The senior has to score efficiently for this team to make a run. Simple as that.

No. 4 Wisconsin: Jordan Taylor, guard -- Again: No overthinking required, no explanation needed. May a resounding duh ring forth across the land.

No. 6 Cincinnati: Yancy Gates, forward -- With all due respect to Sean Kilpatrick, who has quietly become one of the stars of the tournament, the Bearcats would be a team full of guards with no interior punch (sorry) were it not for the indomitable Gates. Losing Kilpatrick would be a major blow, but lineup and skill-set facsimiles abound. Not so with Gates. He's crucial.

Some UNC-hoops-related links from around the web:

• Tar Heels will go with White and Watts, writes Harold Gutmann of The Herald-Sun.
• InsideCarolina caught up with former Tar Heel Kenny Smith. Greg Barnes writes that Harrison Barnes will be key to UNC advancing.
• UNC's confidence remains high, writes Bill Cole of the Winston-Salem Journal.
• Tar Heels vow to keep going, writes Mark Thompson of The Daily Tar Heel.
• Williams still uncertain of Marshall's status, writes Andrew Carter of The News & Observer.
• Tar Heels out to prove their doubters wrong, writes Jeff Mills of The Greensboro News & Record.
• UNC is moving forward, writes Stephen Schramm of The Fayetteville Observer.
• The Tar Heels are keeping their title goal, writes Bob Sutton of The Times-News.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

Know that expression, "wear your heart on your sleeve?" Some fans are taking their support of injured North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall to the next level -- by wearing his number on their right wrists.

Using the Twitter hashtag #PassFir5t, Marshall advocates -- even pets and children -- have been posting pictures of their #5 inkatures to the @PassFir5t twitter account and Pass Fir5t Carolina Facebook page. And Marshall, the sophomore starter who fractured his right wrist Sunday, has expressed his appreciation.

"Thanks to everyone supporting the #PassFir5t Movement," @kbutter5 posted to his Twitter account Tuesday. "You guys don't realize how much it means to me."

Marshall, who set the ACC single-season record for assists this season, had surgery Monday after fracturing his right wrist during UNC's NCAA Round of 32 win over Creighton. The Tar Heels are preparing to compete without him against Ohio in the Midwest Region semi-finals on Friday, but they haven't totally ruled out the possibility he could play.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

On ESPN’ Mike & Mike in the Morning on Wednesday, North Carolina coach Roy Williams reiterated that he doesn’t expect point guard Kendall Marshall -- who is in a cast up to his elbow after surgery on his fractured right wrist Monday -- to play on Friday in the NCAA Regional semifinals.

“What we’re going to do is just practice every day, and if something weird happens that they say he can play, I’m probably going to let the guy play. But I just do not foresee that happening,” Williams told the radio show.

Marshall's injury, suffered Sunday, will take eight to 12 weeks to completely heal, the coach said. But the team has not completely ruled out the possibility of the sophomore playing when the top-seeded Tar Heels play No. 13 seed Ohio in St. Louis.

Williams said again that freshman Stilman White (4.2 mpg) and senior Justin Watts (a wing who has served two stints at ballhandler this season) will fill in at point guard.

“One thing I’m trying to get them to understand is, you can help us by not hurting us,'' Williams said. "Don’t try to be Kendall Marshall; be what you are. Secure the basketball, don’t put the ball in jeopardy, and move the ball up the floor as quick as you can by dribble or pass. Make the easiest play.

"… I think it will kind of be like a quarterback in football: ‘We’ve got other good players, don’t you try to be the dominating factor in the game; get the ball to those other guys and let them make plays.”

The coach also said he doesn’t think he will use small forward Harrison Barnes to run the offense, “but I do think we’ll ask him to be more aggressive, to be more of a scorer. … We’re saying, ‘It doesn’t have to be one guy, it has to be everybody.’"

Click here for Williams' full podcast on the Mike & Mike show....

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Top-seeded North Carolina is preparing "100 percent" to play without point guard Kendall Marshall on Friday in the NCAA Midwest Region semifinals, coach Roy Williams said Tuesday.

There is still a chance that the Cousy Award finalist -- who had surgery Monday to insert a screw into his fractured right wrist -- could play against 13th-seeded Ohio. But right now, Williams said, he has "no idea" what factors will indicate whether Marshall can play, because he's in uncharted territory.

"If he comes running in here now and says, 'God, I can play!' I'll say, 'Well, let's talk about it,'" said Williams, frustrated with the continued questioning about the nation's assist leader. "But he's in a frickin' cast and I cannot give you any answers. I've given everybody all the answers I can give, because I have said honestly, 'I do not know.'"

Williams said Marshall, who is averaging 9.7 assists per game, did go to classes Tuesday, meaning he would likely be able to fly with the team to St. Louis when it leaves Wednesday night.

Click here for the rest of the story.

First, for something non-Kendall Marshall related, Barry Jacobs at Duke Basketball Report takes a look at the scoring decline in college basketball.

Now, on to our regularly-scheduled UNC hoops-related links, which are Marshall/wrist dominated:

• UNC prepares a Marshall plan, writes Jason Wolf of the Greensboro News & Record.
• Harold Gutmann at The Herald-Sun calls this Wrist-Wracking Week.
• Caulton Tudor of The News & Observer breaks down how Marshall's injury helps Ohio.
• Bret Strelow at The Fayetteville Observer ponders whether UNC's up-tempo style makes it more vulnerable to wrist injuries.
• UNC's fate could be sealed, writes Lenox Rawlings of The Winston-Salem Journal.
• The Ohio Bobcats are riding a wave of excitement into its matchup with UNC, writes The Plain-Dealer's Elton Alexander.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.