UNC’s Henri Veesaar Questionable for Syracuse

North Carolina center Henri Veesaar continues to make progress as he recovers from a lower extremity injury, according to UNC head coach Hubert Davis, although he remains questionable as the Tar Heels travel to Syracuse to play the Orange on Saturday (1 p.m./ABC).

“He’s getting better every day,” Davis told reporters on Friday afternoon. “Had an individual workout yesterday. He’s planning on participating in practice today, limited basis, but he is still questionable, so we just got to see how practice goes.”

Veesaar has not practiced since UNC’s loss at Miami 10 days ago. The seven-footer exited that game in the first half and left the court with head athletic trainer Doug Halverson, but returned to the game a few minutes later.  He received further evaluation following the loss, according to a source.

Before last Saturday’s home game against Pittsburgh, Veesaar was in uniform and participated in warmups before ultimately being ruled out due to illness and the lower extremity injury. The lone visible treatment was kinesiology tape running up his left calf.

The illness had passed by Tuesday’s game at N.C. State, although the lower body issue led to Veesaar missing his second consecutive game due to injury. He was in street clothes for the trip to Raleigh.

UNC’s 58 points in its loss to N.C. State were its fewest in ACC play and tied its lowest output of the season. The Tar Heels were outscored in the paint, 40-28.

The initial ACC injury report for the weekend will be released later Friday night. The final report will come out two hours before tip-off on Saturday morning.

Veesaar and projected lottery pick Caleb Wilson (fractured left hand) have been one of the nation’s top frontcourts this season, although Saturday would potentially mark a third consecutive game without the post duo. Adding to the frontcourt woes are injuries to James Brown, who UNC announced as having season-ending foot surgery on Wednesday, and Ivan Matlekovic (undisclosed).

Hybrid wing/forward Jarin Stevenson and reserve center Zayden High have shouldered the load in the post for UNC in the past two games and performed reasonably well, combining to contribute 60 points and 39 rebounds against the Panthers and Wolfpack.

Veesaar ranks second on the team to Wilson in scoring (16.4) and rebounding (9.0), and ranks 37^th nationally in 3-point percentage (44.8). He has recorded 13 double-doubles in 24 appearances this season.

With Wilson out for several more weeks, according to sources, Veesaar’s availability at Syracuse is a critical situation for the Tar Heels, who have lost two of their last three games and are currently tied for sixth place in the ACC standings. UNC will have a quick turnaround as it hosts Louisville on Monday night at the Dean E. Smith Center.