Williams says Tar Heels preparing to play without Marshall

Mar 20, 2012 - 6:35 PM Chapel Hill, NC (Sports Network) - North Carolina head coach Roy Williams said Tuesday he doesn't have an idea if point guard Kendall Marshall will be able to play Friday when the Tar Heels take on Ohio in the Midwest Region semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

However, Williams added that the team is preparing to play without Marshall, who underwent surgery on Monday to have a broken scaphoid bone in his right wrist repaired.

"Our preparation is 100 percent to play without Kendall," Williams said Tuesday.

Pressed further, Williams said he just didn't know if the sophomore would be able to play.

"I have no idea, I'm being truthful with you," an exasperated Williams said. "He's in a cast from his thumb to his back. It's not quite that big. ... I cannot give you any answer. I've said honestly, I do not know."

Marshall's surgery on Monday included the insertion of a screw to stabilize the fracture. He was hurt during the second half of North Carolina's win over Creighton on Sunday.

Williams indicated that freshman Stilman White and senior Justin Watts would see more time at point guard, but added that others could help initiate the offense.

"I've got to come up with a way to replace somebody that is hard to replace," Williams added.

Marshall is averaging 8.1 points and 9.8 assists in 36 games this season. He has 351 total assists this season, shattering the previous ACC single-season mark of 303 set by Georgia Tech's Craig Neal in 1987-88.