Tar Heels' Copeland injured

CHAPEL HILL -- With only 10 scholarship players on the roster, former North Carolina players Hubert Davis and King Rice served as reserves for the Tar Heels' first scrimmage of the season Friday during "Late Night With Roy Williams."

Which was a good thing, considering freshman Mike Copeland sat out the final minutes of the 10-minute game, an ice pack on his right knee.

Coach Roy Williams didn't know the extent of of the injury and it will be re-evaluated today, but it illustrates one of the problems the Tar Heels could face today, when they begin practice at 2 p.m., for real: A lack of experienced bodies to practice against.

The top seven players from last year's national title team either graduated or were drafted into the NBA. In addition, guard Jesse Holley opted to concentrate on football and center Damion Grant will be physically unable to play.

In their place are five freshmen.

"We're definitely worried about that,'' senior David Noel said of the lack of bodies in practice. "We might not be able to do some of the up-and-down stuff that we like to do. But we're going to find some bodies from the JV team, and maybe a couple of walk-ons, and they could help us out a lot."
Indeed, three junior varsity players -- Dewey Burke, John Putnam and Will Robinson -- will practice with the team today as part of a tryout. None of them participated in the season-opening festivities Friday night, which included the unveiling of last season's championship banner, skits and a scrimmage by the women's basketball team, and performances by the new men's squad.

Perhaps the most fitting skit of the night: a dance routine by Noel and Byron Sanders to the music of "I Will Survive."

Beginning today, no matter how many bodies they have practicing beside them, they have to.

Source-Raleigh News and Observer

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