'He's Getting a Lot Better' - UNC's Henri Veesaar Listed As Questionable for NC State Game

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina big man Henri Veesaar remained on the Tar Heels’ availability report, released by UNC on Monday night in correspondence with ACC policy. Veesaar is listed as questionable for Tuesday night’s matchup in Raleigh with NC State. 

Probable: Isaiah Denis
Questionable: Henri Veesaar
Out: Caleb Wilson, James Brown, Ivan Matlekovic

While Veesaar appears on the report for the second game in a row, head coach Hubert Davis offered an encouraging update on his center during his weekly radio show Monday night.

“He’s getting a lot better, today was a huge jump in his improvement,” Davis said. “He had, you know, an injury in his lower extremities, and then also had the flu, and it was a major jump in both of those today. It’s still day-to-day, we’ll have to evaluate tomorrow if he’s available for NC State, but I was really encouraged by the improvement in both areas today.”

Veesaar remains on the UNC availability report after sitting out of Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh dealing with what a team spokesman described as flu-like symptoms, in addition to a lower-extremity injury. 

Sources indicated to Inside Carolina that Veesaar received additional treatment for the lower-body injury following UNC’s loss to Miami in Coral Gables last Tuesday. However, the team spokesperson indicated that the flu-like symptoms were the primary concern Saturday at the Smith Center.

“We didn’t know if Henri was playing or not,” Hubert Davis said Saturday. “So, we were preparing for Pitt with two different game plans and different rotations and all different types of stuff.”

Veesaar took part in the Tar Heels’ initial pregame warmups Saturday but ultimately was not feeling up to the task. The only visible treatment on his lower body was a strip of kinesiology tape running the length of the seven-footer’s left achilles.

“Both (flu/lower-body) are getting better,” Davis said Monday. “You know, he had the flu, and that’s just not for one day, and he is feeling a lot better from that.”

“And then the lower body extremity, it’s getting better every day, and it was an improvement from Saturday to yesterday’s practice. And my hope is that it’s an even bigger jump today, but he is getting better on both ends.”

Veesaar ranks second on the Tar Heels in both scoring (16.4) and rebounding (9.0). If UNC’s Estonian standout isn’t good to go, they’ll enter the Lenovo Center without both pillars of their superstar frontcourt. Without those two, UNC had little trouble dispatching Pittsburgh, 79-65. But facing NC State, in Raleigh, is a far tougher task.

Wilson is sidelined indefinitely by a fractured left hand suffered in the first half of Tuesday night’s loss at Miami. He leads UNC with 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He has set UNC freshman records by scoring in double figures in all 24 games to begin his career and with 17 20-point games. He ranks among the top five in the ACC in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting (.578) and double-doubles (11) and leads the nation with 66 dunks.

>>> Sources: Caleb Wilson Return Timeline <<<

Denis has been listed as probable on each of UNC’s availability reports across ACC play, but has been suited up for each game. The freshman has appeared in nine games this season, averaging 2.1 points in those appearances.

Reserve big men James Brown and Ivan Matlekovic remain sidelined for the Tar Heels. Brown first appeared on the reports prior to UNC’s ACC opener against Florida State on Dec. 30, while Matlekovic has been sidelined since Jan. 17 at Cal.