UNC Center Henri Veesaar Out with Lower-Body Injury and Flu

University of North Carolina (UNC) starting center Henri Veesaar remains unavailable for practice due to a lower-body injury and the flu, as confirmed by a team spokesman on Wednesday. Coach Hubert Davis provided an update after Tuesday's loss to NC State, stating Veesaar's outlook is "day to day" and that he is improving.

UNC starting center Henri Veesaar remains unavailable for practice due to a lower-body injury and the flu, with Coach Hubert Davis stating his outlook is "day to day" and that he is improving.

Player Status Update

Davis indicated that Veesaar is making "huge strides every day" with both his lower extremities and flu symptoms. The team plans to evaluate his availability for practice and subsequent games daily.

Recent Absences

Earlier in the week, Davis had expressed encouragement about Veesaar's improvement. However, Veesaar did not return to practice nor participate in Tuesday's game against NC State. He was initially listed as questionable before being ruled out, marking his second consecutive absence.

Veesaar was also a late scratch from Saturday's game against Pitt. On Saturday, illness was cited as the primary concern, while Tuesday's absence was attributed solely to the lower-body injury.

The lower-extremity injury traces back to a February 10 loss against Miami, where Veesaar briefly exited the game.

Team Impact

In Veesaar's absence, Jarin Stevenson and Zayden High have taken on increased roles in the Tar Heel frontcourt.

North Carolina recorded its lowest scoring output of the season (58 points) and was outscored in the paint (40-28) during Tuesday's game.

Veesaar is UNC's second-leading scorer, averaging 16.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, and holds a 44.8% three-point percentage. He has recorded 13 double-doubles in 24 appearances this season.

Upcoming Information

North Carolina is scheduled to release its initial availability report for Saturday's matchup with Syracuse on Friday.