March Madness 2012: North Carolina and Teams Threatened by Injuries

There's never a good time for an injury in college basketball, though losing a key player right before the NCAA Tournament can be and often is particularly crippling to any team's dreams of a deep run through March Madness.

These three, in particular, will have to either overcome a big blow to their rosters or hope that those who are hurt will be able to play come tourney time if they're to make their time in the Big Dance worthwhile.

North Carolina

What's the matter, North Carolina? You lost to Florida State in the ACC Tournament final, for the second time this season, but still wound up with a No. 1 seed and, more importantly, you've got a host of healthy NBA prospects on your roster, including ACC Player of the Year Tyler Zeller, Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall and John Hen...

What's that? John Henson's got a bad left wrist? Well, that's no dice. How are the Tar Heels supposed to protect the rim—or stop anyone, really—without the ACC Defensive Player of the Year patrolling the middle?

My thoughts exactly.

If Henson doesn't heal up quick, the Heels could be in big trouble in the second round against a Creighton team that's among the most offensively efficient in college basketball.

Duke

Few would ever mistake Ryan Kelly for a defensive dynamo or even as massive cog in Duke's machinery, though his absence was certainly felt in the Blue Devils' 62-59 loss to Florida State in the semifinals of the ACC tourney.

Kelly sat out the action during Championship Week on account of a sprain in his right foot, though he appeared to be improving rather rapidly on Saturday.

Mike Krzyzewski can only hope Kelly will be back at full strength in time for the Big Dance. The Devils will need the sharpshooting big man at his best with the likes of Notre Dame, Baylor and Kentucky aiming to keep them from advancing out of the South.

Indiana

Indiana's poor record away from Assembly Hall didn't (and still doesn't) bode well for a deep tourney run.

Neither does the loss of senior guard Verdell Jones III, who won't partake in the Hoosiers' triumphant return to the Big Dance after tearing his ACL during the Big Ten Tournament.

A sad development, to be sure, for an IU's squad whose revival is well ahead of schedule. It'll be up to Jordan Hulls and Matt Roth to pick up the backcourt slack in the wake of Jones' crippling injury if the Hoosiers are to parlay three wins over top-10 teams this season into a victory or two amidst March Madness.

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