North Carolina's Ty Lawson: How Long Can the Tar Heels Last Without Him?

ATLANTA—The North Carolina Tar Heels eked out a hard-fought 79-76 win against a determined Virginia Tech team in the second round of the ACC tournament Friday, and they did it without Ty Lawson, the ACC Player of the Year.

So what?

It’s not like they don’t have enough talent, right?  Tyler Hansbrough is a former ACC Player of the Year and an All-American—shouldn’t that be enough?

It might seem that way for a team that has as many weapons as a Charles Bronson film, with all five starters averaging double figures in scoring. 

With experienced players like Bobby Frasor and McDonald’s All-Americans Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller coming off the bench, it’s easy to understand why so many feel like losing Lawson because of a sprained toe for a few games isn’t a big deal for the Tar Heels.

But Lawson’s significance is something that goes beyond statistics and bench depth.

Look at it this way, since Lawson’s freshman season, the only game the Tar Heels have lost to in-state rival Duke (the first matchup between the two schools last season) has been the only game he didn’t play against them (he was sidelined with an ankle injury).

If it wasn’t for Lawson, North Carolina could have lost to Florida State on Jan. 28, when Lawson hit the shot of his career in the final seconds.

If it wasn’t for Lawson, the Tar Heels would have lost to Duke twice this season (no doubt about it), dropping them from the top spot in the ACC.

Even though they came away with a win against Virginia Tech, the absence of Lawson was a noticeable problem.

The Hokies looked quicker than the Tar Heels, having no issues keeping the Heels from scoring in transition.  When Lawson is in the lineup, North Carolina scores in transition better than any team in the country.

The Tar Heels' offense wasn't smooth.  Fortunately, they have the size and strength to play a grind-it-out game, but with Lawson, they are able to penetrate at will and create easy shots as the defense collapses.

The Tar Heels didn't play poorly against Virginia Tech, by any means.  They took care of the ball, rebounded, and shot well from the free throw line.  They still looked like a top 10 team.

But they weren't the same team by any stretch of the imagination.

Ty Lawson is the engine of this North Carolina team.  He’s spent the majority of his career in a taller Ty’s shadow, but make no mistake—Ty Lawson is North Carolina’s x-factor.

So the significance of the Tar Heels beating a talented Virginia Tech team (who just so happened to turn in one their best games of the season) without Ty Lawson shouldn’t go unnoticed.

It shows that North Carolina is tough, and it shows that other players are willing to step up in Lawson’s absence.

Bobby Frasor played more minutes today than he has played in all four of his years as a Tar Heel, including his freshman season when he quarterbacked the team all year.

“Bobby’s not a good athlete, but he’s a well-conditioned not-good athlete,” Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said.

Frasor didn’t seem to mind his new (and old) role of running the Heels’ offense.  His numbers weren’t anything to gawk at, but he certainly wasn’t a liability.

“It’s not like they’re void of players; they have a lot of players,” Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said after the game.  “Bobby Frasor was a McDonald’s All-American.  They took a Player of the Year out and put a McDonald’s All-American in.  It’s pretty good to have that luxury.”

Greenberg is right, not many teams have the luxury of abundant talent that the Tar Heels have.

But no matter how you spin it, Bobby Frasor is not Ty Lawson. 

North Carolina survived against Virginia Tech, but tougher competition looms close, and the Tar Heels will need Lawson to win the ACC tournament and get to the Final Four.

When asked about whether or not Lawson would play tomorrow, Coach Williams' answer was a pessimistic “unlikely.”

With one game in the ACC tournament out of the way (a game that came down to the final possession), the question remains—how long can the Tar Heels last without Ty Lawson and his toe?