The Tar Heels took care of business on Saturday night, defeating Virginia Tech in a game where the Hokies could've definitely benefited from a win to help improve their NCAA Tournament resume.
Who knew that the night would keep getting better after the final buzzer sounded!
Hubert Davis provides a huge Caleb Wilson injury update
Following the victory, Hubert Davis met with the media to discuss the outcome. When asked about the status of Caleb Wilson, Davis provided a huge update regarding his star freshman:
“He doesn’t have his cast on anymore,” Davis said. "(He) can’t do anything five on five, but he can do individual workouts. He can dribble, shoot, and he can do everything, just nothing on contact. So that’s a huge benefit for us.”
Wilson isn't cleared for five on five work, but Davis noted that he has been doing individual workouts. The larger splint he's been wearing is also no longer needed, which is a significant step in the right direction as Wilson works his way back to full health.
“(Caleb's) moving in the right direction,” Davis added. "He worked out the day before the game, and just was dribbling, shooting, catching, like normal.”
UNC has held its own without Wilson
Although Wilson has been sidelined, the Tar Heels have found a way to continue rolling in the right direction.
In his absence, North Carolina is now 4-1, as others have stepped up in a huge way to help carry the load. Of course, this team is much better when Wilson is available to play, but the last few weeks have proven that this is still a very good Tar Heels team, one that gained valuable experience while he was sidelined.
Caleb Wilson has a date in mind that he expects to return to action
So... when will he back?
At this point, it seems like a matter of when he will officially be back.
Given that he is not cleared for five-on-five activities yet, Tuesday night is likely a long shot for his return. Wilson has stated on multiple occasions that he intends to be back for the Duke game on March 7 (this upcoming Saturday), but we'll have to wait and see how his rehab progresses over the next week.
While we all want to see him suited up for the Duke game, it might not make much sense to rush him back if he's not fully cleared to go. Until we get more clarity, Wilson's return for the ACC Tournament still seems to be like the most likely scenario, a boost that will certainly help the Tar Heels just in time for postseason action.