Kennedy Meeks will play for UNC in Sweet Sixteen

Just a few hours from the Sweet Sixteen, North Carolina still wasn't sure if they'd have Kennedy Meeks in the lineup when they take on Wisconsin.

While Wisconsin's own question mark, Traevon Jackson, had taken it upon himself to declare his status - he's playing - UNC's forward had been less forthcoming. Meeks, who sprained his left knee on Saturday, practiced some this week, but head coach Roy Williams was unsure if he'd be available Thursday.

The mystery ended just 20 minutes before tip-off: Meeks is going to play, and start.

He was officially being called a game-time decision and went through pre-game warmups with a brace on his left knee, so his availability isn't all that surprising.

"I'm doing pretty well," Meeks had said Wednesday. "I'm jumping a little bit more and trying to do all the right things so I can take care of my knee."

Were Meeks to sit, the Tar Heels would have probably gone with smaller looks against a large Wisconsin outfit, even though 6-foot-10 Joel James was listed as the starter in Meeks' stead. 

That would have been a bit of a risk, but UNC can't match size anyway, and without the 6-foot-9, 280-pound Meeks, they may as well have pushed the pace and forced the Badgers, one of the most plodding teams in the country, to bend to their style of play. 

They may still do that, but Meeks gives them their best chance at containing Frank Kaminsky and is also their best offensive rebounder, an area that could be paramount for an upset Thursday. Meeks had said he wouldn't play if he didn't think the knee would be well enough to let him track the versatile Kaminsky on the defensive end.

A sophomore who could find himself taken in the second round in June's NBA Draft, Meeks is averaging 11.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks this season. He scored 19 points with 12 rebounds in 44 minutes over the team's first two NCAA tournament games.