Dexter Strickland Out for Year

[JNort]

Hate this for anybody even if they do play for UNC. It looks really bad and he is arguably the best on ball defender defender on the team.

[Bluedevil114]

Hate this for anybody even if they do play for UNC. It looks really bad and he is arguably the best on ball defender defender on the team.

Looked like an ACL to me the way he hit the floor. UNC is deep in the front court but this could hurt them in the backcourt especially on the defensive end.

[1999ballboy]

Call me crazy, but this could be really good for the Heels. I'm not trying to take anything away from Strickland or his game, but inserting Bullock into the starting lineup will make them more explosive offensively, and will also vastly increase PJ Hairston's minutes off the bench. Unless what I saw in the McDonald's game was a fluke, that young man has loads of talent that should emerge more and more with experience.

Hopefully- for his sake, and the Heels' sake- it isn't season-ending. I still think Strickland is an asset to their team, but playing 5 or so games without him could help the team discover more about itself.

[JNort]

Call me crazy, but this could be really good for the Heels. I'm not trying to take anything away from Strickland or his game, but inserting Bullock into the starting lineup will make them more explosive offensively, and will also vastly increase PJ Hairston's minutes off the bench. Unless what I saw in the McDonald's game was a fluke, that young man has loads of talent that should emerge more and more with experience.

Hopefully- for his sake, and the Heels' sake- it isn't season-ending. I still think Strickland is an asset to their team, but playing 5 or so games without him could help the team discover more about itself.

True but defensively this could be very bad? A starting lineup of Marshall, PJ and Barnes all of whom are the worst defensive players that get good minutes. Bullock is not much better either..

[Son of Jarhead]

It sure didn't look good at all. It seems injuries are almost always worse when a player gets injured with out any contact.

By all accounts he seems like a nice kid... I wish him a speedy & full recovery.

[Mike Corey]

He was walking around the locker room on his own power. That's an awfully good sign.

Always want the Heels to lose. Never want the Heels to lose players to injury.

[SupaDave]

He was walking around the locker room on his own power. That's an awfully good sign.

Always want the Heels to lose. Never want the Heels to lose players to injury.

Great news b/c me and the crew's initial reaction was: SEASON OVER!!!

[Sgt. Dingleberry]

He was walking around the locker room on his own power. That's an awfully good sign.

Always want the Heels to lose. Never want the Heels to lose players to injury.

I gotta say, Dexter is one of my favorite Heels ever. He would have been a great Blue Devil, he seems like that type of kid.

Great news to hear that he is moving around on his own. Hopefully, it is just a sprain.

[ChicagoHeel]

Good news is that it seemed to improve as the evening wore on. I was sure it was an ACL when it happened. I'm praying it's just a strain.

It would be a tough loss for us primarily because of his role as back-up point guard. Yes, we would miss his D and ability to create in the open court, but Bullock is a solid defender and, at least until Bullock's recent slump, we have had much better offensive efficiency with Bullock and Marshall than with DS and Marshall. Actually, our defensive efficiency doesn't drop off that much either. But if Stillman White has to play significant minutes at the point, that's bad news for us.

[MChambers]

Good news is that it seemed to improve as the evening wore on. I was sure it was an ACL when it happened. I'm praying it's just a strain.

It would be a tough loss for us primarily because of his role as back-up point guard. Yes, we would miss his D and ability to create in the open court, but Bullock is a solid defender and, at least until Bullock's recent slump, we have had much better offensive efficiency with Bullock and Marshall than with DS and Marshall. Actually, our defensive efficiency doesn't drop off that much either. But if Stillman White has to play significant minutes at the point, that's bad news for us.

That's interesting about the defense, but if he were out for a prolonged period, I still think UNC's defensive efficiency would take a hit. Having Marshall and Bullock/Hairston as your starting guards doesn't strike me as a very good defensive perimeter.

And I agree with you about the point. Would put even more pressure on Marshall. Teams already have every incentive to pressure him as much as possible on both ends of the floor, of course.

[BluDvlsN1]

It's always a sad event when a young person get's injured doing what they love to do!
Basketball talk aside, no X's and O's, no +'s or -'s...

Let's just universally, wish Dexter a speedy and complete recovery !!!

[Ichabod Drain]

Austin's sister must be distressed.

Hope Dex will be ok.

[jamos14]

Unfortunately, you cannot judge the severity of an ACL/MCL injury based on Strickland walking after the game. Many athletes have torn their ACL/MCL and still walked on it. It is the lateral movement of the knee that is painful, not the normal walking movement.

[Matches]

It would be a tough loss for us primarily because of his role as back-up point guard. Yes, we would miss his D and ability to create in the open court, but Bullock is a solid defender and, at least until Bullock's recent slump, we have had much better offensive efficiency with Bullock and Marshall than with DS and Marshall. Actually, our defensive efficiency doesn't drop off that much either. But if Stillman White has to play significant minutes at the point, that's bad news for us.

Agreed - very telling that Marshall played 37 minutes last night even though the game wasn't all that close.

[jjasper0729]

Agreed - very telling that Marshall played 37 minutes last night even though the game wasn't all that close.

He wasn't the only one... I noticed that the core group was in there with only a minute or so to go (Barnes, Henson, Zeller, Marshall)

[devildeac]

He wasn't the only one... I noticed that the core group was in there with only a minute or so to go (Barnes, Henson, Zeller, Marshall)

Can we safely assume the unc coach was still on the sidelines as the final seconds ticked down?

[NSDukeFan]

Can we safely assume the unc coach was still on the sidelines as the final seconds ticked down?

I wouldn't make that assumption.

[BlueDevilCorvette!]

Unfortunately, you cannot judge the severity of an ACL/MCL injury based on Strickland walking after the game. Many athletes have torn their ACL/MCL and still walked on it. It is the lateral movement of the knee that is painful, not the normal walking movement.

Your comments are absolutely correct. I have torn the ACL in both my right knee and left knee playing basketball. After a few minutes on the ground I got up and walked away under my own power (hoping and praying it was just a sprain knee). However deep inside I knew it had to be either my ACL or PCL because my stability was weak and wobbly. The way Strickland clutched his knee was exactly the same way I clutched mine. One of the tell-tale signs of a possible ACL tear is if you hear that "POP" and soon there after the swelling ensues. I instantly said a prayer for Strickland because I wouldn't wish the rehab from a ACL tear on anybody.

[jbmaverick]

He was walking around the locker room on his own power. That's an awfully good sign.

Always want the Heels to lose. Never want the Heels to lose players to injury.

Exactly. I never want to see any of these kids - on anybody's team - seriously injured, as it could affect their whole future.

[AluminumDuke]

Apparently last year he suffered a "slightly torn" meniscus last March.