Anthony out 4-6 weeks after arthroscopic knee procedure

North Carolina point guard Cole Anthony will miss four-to-six weeks after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure to treat a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, the school announced.

"Obviously not having a player of Cole's caliber will be a tremendous challenge to our young team, but we have to play," Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams said through the school's statement.

Anthony was initially ruled out indefinitely on Dec. 15. The freshman, who's projected to be a top-five selection in the 2020 NBA Draft if he declares for it, has been a bright spot for North Carolina through his first nine collegiate contests. He's averaged a team-high 19.1 points per game along with 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals.

"No one player is going to replace the production Cole Anthony gives us, so it's up to everyone who puts on a North Carolina jersey to raise his game and help our team play better," Williams added.

The Tar Heels are currently in the midst of a three-game losing skid, which has dropped their record to 6-4. North Carolina fell out of the top 25 in Monday's AP poll.