Kendall Marshall Injury Update: Why UNC Shouldn't Rule Out PG Until Final Second

Just because North Carolina is preparing "100 percent" to play without Kendall Marshall in the Sweet 16 doesn't mean that they will.

The star point guard, who leads the nation with 9.7 assists per game, had a screw inserted in his right wrist on Monday and is currently questionable to play against No. 13 Ohio on Friday. He hurt himself after he was fouled by Creighton's Ethan Wragge while driving the lane for a layup.

The Tar Heels, who refuse to divulge whether he will get in the game, are playing their cards exactly right. They're already missing their best player, and the last thing they need to give away is their mental edge too.

As it stands, Ohio doesn't know if they should prepare to face Marshall.Is there really a chance that a player who had surgery earlier in the week will play just a few days later? Maybe. Will UNC really adopt a "go big or go home" approach by getting Marshall back in the game this early in the tournament? Possibly. Or at least that's the impression coach Roy Williams is giving.

By leaving Marshall's status in limbo, Williams is leaving Ohio in limbo as well.

Williams told ESPN.com's Robbi Pickeral:

"

If he comes running in here now and says, "God, I can play," I'll say, "Well, let's talk about it." But he's in a frickin' cast. … I cannot give you any answers. I've given everybody all the answers I can give, because I have said honestly, I don't know.

"

Williams' frustration is evident, which suggests that Marshall, in fact, won't be ready to play and that the team is trying to figure out their game plan without him.

The no-Marshall plan will most likely involve Stilman White, a freshman who averages 4.3 minutes per game, and Justin Watts, a senior who has played point guard only twice this season.

If the Bobcats prepare to face a team featuring Stilman and Watts, instead of Marshall only to find that Marshall makes a miraculous recovery, they're in trouble. And if they prepare for Marshall's recovery and he doesn't play, they're hit with something unfamiliar. The best solution is to prepare for both scenarios, which means a lot more work for Ohio.

Either way, it works to the Tar Heels' advantage, and without their best player, they'll need as many advantages as they can get—even against a No. 13 seed.