The key issues for both Wisconsin and North Carolina coming into Thursday’s Sweet 16 contest revolve around injuries. However, these concerns exist on different ends of the spectrum.
For the Badgers, the team reported that Traevon Jackson will play in his first game since January. However, the role Jackson will play is the main question. When he went down with a fractured foot in a loss at Rutgers, Wisconsin faced the possibility of falling into serious trouble. Unknown at the time was how well Bronson Koenig was going to play for the squad. Koenig has been nothing but efficient for the Badgers, and even better than Jackson — certainly as an offensive player.
Due to the length of his layoff, Jackson will likely not play a lot of minutes and will occupy a reserve role. This will be nothing like the situation we saw with Justin Anderson and Virginia. The Cavaliers were not able to find a natural fit to replace him, and they were forced to rush him back. Then, when Anderson did come back, he was asked to be a difference maker. This will not be the expectation for Jackson.
Along with Koenig, Frank Kaminsky continues to be a monster this March and appears to be putting a stranglehold on National Player of the Year honors. There may not be a player who is more important to his squad than Kaminsky, and he will certainly have the final say in shaping the Badgers’ postseason results, whatever they might ultimately be.
On the Tar Heels’ side, the questions revolve around the injury to Kennedy Meeks in the round of 32 win over Arkansas last Saturday. North Carolina has been extremely cautious with Meeks and his knee, and has said that it wants to ensure that there is no discomfort before announcing whether the sophomore will be available.
As a game-time decision, the loss of Meeks would be disastrous for the Tar Heels, as they will have to deal with the frontline size of the Badgers. While he has gone through some workouts, Meeks is having a hard time shedding the “doubtful” label.
North Carolina will need to be at full strength for another reason: The Heels probably have the toughest run in the tournament for a title. They battle Wisconsin, and if they somehow pull off the upset, they would possibly face Arizona… just to earn the opportunity to play Kentucky or a Wildcat-slayer and history-maker. All of those teams have a great deal of size, so North Carolina will need Meeks long-term if it is able to get by the Badgers.
North Carolina has been a drastically inconsistent team this season, and if the Heels are without Meeks, North Carolina absolutely will need strong games from Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson with the inside-out game. If UNC doesn’t get this, the Badgers will run away with the contest early.
However, with the talent throughout the rosters on each side, this has an opportunity to be one of the most exciting games of the weekend, depending if “North Carolina Jekyll” or “North Carolina Hyde” shows up.
