UNC Basketball: Why Kendall Marshall's Injury Kills Their Tournament Chances

President Obama is headed for March Madness disappointment. The Commander-in-Chief picked North Carolina to win the NCAA tournament, but guard Kendall Marshall's wrist injury threatens to kill President Obama's bracket, and more importantly, UNC's tournament chances.  

Marshall may not be a flashy player or a prolific scorer, but it is almost impossible to overstate his importance to the Tar Heels.

He is the best passer in college basketball, averaging 9.7 assists per game this season, an unusually exceptional mark at the collegiate level.

He was responsible for controlling the flow and tempo of the offense and delivering the ball to North Carolina's talented scorers: Harrison Barnes on the wing and the combination of John Henson-Tyler Zeller in the post.

Equally important, Marshall has stepped up his performance in the tournament. Big players shine in big games and he has been the best example of that mantra this year.

In the tourney, Marshall has averaged 10 shots per game (as opposed to 5.5 in the regular season), shot an otherworldly 58.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range (42.4 percent and 31 percent in the regular season) and scored 14.8 points per game (6.8) while maintaining his high assist numbers and distributive philosophy.

In short, he is the key player in North Carolina's tournament offense and the Tar Heels' most important player.

So what does North Carolina's route to the title look like now? Can they run the gauntlet?  The Tar Heels' next opponent is No. 13 Ohio. Ohio upset No. 4 Michigan and defeated No. 12 South Florida, but North Carolina should be able to handle them even without Marshall.

In the Elite Eight, North Carolina will face a more difficult opponent. Barring an unexpected upset loss to NC State, the Kansas Jayhawks will be waiting and ready to make a statement against the Tar Heels. If Marshall was healthy, the Tar Heels would be the favorites in that matchup. But it is hard to see North Carolina getting past Kansas without its elite distributor feeding Henson and Zeller throughout the game and finding Barnes on the wing.  

But, if by some chance they do get past Kansas, UNC's Final Four and championship will play powerhouse opponents, like Michigan State or Kentucky, or even tough tournament veterans, like Marquette or Indiana. Games against any of these opponents will be very difficult to win.  

Sorry, Mr. President. North Carolina had a great team this season, but they no longer look like tourney champions without their exceptional point guard.