With Dexter Strickland out for the Season, Who Will the UNC Tar Heels Turn To?

After suffering a torn ACL against Virginia Tech on Thursday night, North Carolina starting Shooting Guard Dexter Strickland finds himself out for the remainder of the season. With their best on-ball perimeter defender out, who will step up and fill the vacancy that Strickland has left open?

At Shooting Guard the Heels won't honestly miss that much in my opinion. As a starter, Strickland was only averaging 7.5 points per game along with 2.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists. The guys who figure to replace him put up those numbers in less time on the court. Those two players are Sophomore Reggie Bullock and Freshmen P.J. Hairston.

For now, Bullock will more than likely get more playing time due to his seniority and level of maturity. In the 18 minutes he averages per game, Bullock gets 8.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per night. He's a guy who is known for his range from behind the three point line and was labeled as, "A better Wayne Ellington", during recruiting. That's a huge compliment considering Ellington was the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player in 2009 when the Tar Heels last won a championship.

He's yet to live up to they hype due to a knee injury last year and splitting time this year. He has shown flashes of brilliance though and now that he will spend more time in the game then watching it, we should see what he's really capable of.

Besides just being a threat from deep, he's not too bad of a defender himself. At 6'7", Bullock will have a little bit of a size advantage on most two guards. His athletic ability and scoring potential will be more than enough to give the Tar Heels the lift they need. 

Even after all that, Carolina still has Hairston that can come in and provide the same thing. At 6'6", P.J. also has the size advantage working for him and just like Bullock, he has range for days. Hairston is a little more athletic and a lot more aggressive, which is something else the Tar Heels can benefit from.

If you watch games such as UNLV and Florida State, where they get down on the road, there's a certain energy that's missing in their play. It's almost as if there is no emotion being shown whatsoever. This is where I think Hairston can help out the most. He has the ability to score in bunches and he's not afraid to shoot. When you're down and the crowd is against you, you need that player early in the game who can quiet the crowd and keep you in the game.

Though Barnes is normally that guy, Hairston can do the same for the team and help will them to win. He's also a good defender just like the two that have been in front of him this season. Though his on-ball ability is not as fine tuned, his aggressiveness and ability to make plays will make up for that. 

Overall, North Carolina should be fine when it comes to filling the Shooting Guard spot. What others are forgetting to mention though is Strickland was the guy who would give Point Guard Kendall Marshall a breather when needed. Marshall is already averaging above 31 minutes per game right now and I expect his time to jump up to around 33 possibly even 35, but who steps in from there? Especially if there's he gets hurt or in foul trouble? 

If Roy Williams is going to stick to playing a person with Point Guard experience, then Freshmen Stillman White should see an up in his playing time. That's right, the one star, 6 foot, 160 pound, Stormin' Mormon. That's a pretty solid introduction, and I think as the season plays out you'll hear his name a lot more.

Though he only plays around four minutes a game and averages less than a point, he should become a contributor to the team. He hasn't got much playing time at all, but the kid has a high confidence level. He knows what he's doing and how to control a game.

With conference play in full swing that's exactly what UNC will need from him coming off the bench. So you heard it hear first, Stillman White will be that guy who fills the back up PG void and help the team in the spot they need the most. 

When you are a program as elite as the University of North Carolina, an injury like this won't slow you down. It's just another obstacle for the team to overcome and if they prove to be just as strong without Strickland, watch out for this team come March. 

Stats are from ESPN.com and statsheet.com .