With a star sidelined, this sophomore forward ignites North Carolina's offense and defense, delivering standout performances that elevate the Tar Heels' tournament hopes.
North Carolina needed a few players to step up after losing freshman Caleb Wilson to a left-hand fracture against Miami on Feb. 10.
Senior guard Seth Trimble was the answer for the Tar Heels on Monday. He scored 30 points and added four rebounds in UNC's 77-74 win over No. 24 Louisville.
With Wilson on the bench until medical imaging clears him to play again, sophomore forward Zayden High has been playing more for the Tar Heels. He played just seven minutes against Miami, but saw his minutes balloon to 32 against Pitt on Feb. 14.
Jeff Borzello of ESPN bumped North Carolina from No. 21 to No. 20 in his most recent power rankings. He noted High has made a big impact for UNC with Wilson out.
"It's worth highlighting how productive Zayden High has been since Wilson got hurt," Borzello wrote. "High was barely part of the rotation for the first 24 games, seeing double-figure minutes just twice, and that was in early November.
"But in his past four games, High is averaging 10.3 points and 8.5 rebounds, bringing an edge the Tar Heels have lacked at times."
High scored 15 points and added 10 rebounds against Pittsburgh and 12 points against North Carolina State (to go along with 12 rebounds). He played at least 30 minutes in both of those contests.
His minutes on the court shrunk in the last two games. High scored nine points and recorded 11 rebounds against Syracuse and scored four points and added six rebounds and three assists against the Cardinals.
High said he had to make a change in his approach when he learned he'd be playing more with Wilson out.
"I was thinking too much about not making a mistake. (I wasn't) just going out there and playing," he said, via 247Sports. "My teammates and my coaches are trusting me more. I just feel a lot more comfortable on the court."
The extra playing time could make High more valuable to the Tar Heels in March, even if Wilson returns to the court for the NCAA Tournament. A deep bench could help the team pull off a surprise during March Madness.