UNC's John Henson won't play Friday

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GREENSBORO, N.C. -- North Carolina forward John Henson will miss Friday afternoon's NCAA tournament game against Vermont, a team spokesman said. It will mark the third straight game the ACC Defensive Player of the Year has sat out because of a sprained left wrist.

Freshman forward James Michael McAdoo will start in his place.

Henson, who is averaging 13.8 points and 10.1 rebounds, suffered the injury trying to break his fall after he was fouled by Maryland in the ACC quarterfinals last Friday. He did not dress for Saturday's semifinal win over North Carolina State, and was available only for an "emergency situation" during Sunday's ACC title game, which the Tar Heels lost to Florida State.

Henson said Thursday he had participated in about 65 percent of the morning practice in Chapel Hill, N.C. But coach Roy Williams said the 6-foot-11 junior was favoring his right hand during drills. Both said then the player's status would be a game-time decision.

Henson also said Thursday that his wrist felt better, and if he could not play Friday, "Sunday I feel like it will be a lot better than today, and that's two more days of rest."

The top seeded Tar Heels will tip off against No. 16 seed Vermont at approximately 4:10 p.m. ET at Greensboro Coliseum. The winner will face the winner of Creighton and Alabama on Sunday.

Robbi Pickeral covers North Carolina for ESPN.com and can be reached at bylinerp@gmail.com. Follow Robbi on Twitter: @bylinerp.

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Robbi Pickeral | email

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• ESPN.com UNC basketball blogger
• Joined ESPN.com in 2011
• Wrote for Raleigh News & Observer