Will Cormac Ryan play vs. Tennessee? What we know on UNC basketball starter
CHAPEL HILL — UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis said starting guard Cormac Ryan continues to recover from an ankle injury ahead of Wednesday’s game against No. 10 Tennessee in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge.
“He’s gonna try to practice (Tuesday),” Davis said of Ryan, who was sidelined with a right ankle injury in the 17th-ranked Tar Heels’ win against Arkansas in the Bahamas.
“He’s getting better each day, but it’s still uncertain if he’ll be good enough to play (Wednesday) night or not.”
Ryan, a Notre Dame transfer, was in the starting lineup for the first five games of the season. He rolled his right ankle in the final seconds of UNC’s loss to Villanova at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
In the two games Ryan played at the three-game event, the guard had 15 points against Northern Iowa and a season-high 18 points against the Wildcats.
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The Tar Heels (5-1) and Vols (4-2) are set for a 7:15 p.m. start at the Dean E. Smith Center. The game will be televised on ESPN.
UNC basketball’s Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble could step in after Cormac Ryan injury
With Ryan in UNC warmup gear on the sideline, guards Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau stepped in to provide assistance on the court. That duo helped UNC earn a 15-point win against Arkansas.
Cadeau and Trimble each played more than 25 minutes, combining for 19 points, six rebounds and three assists. Trimble had a career-high 12 points against the Razorbacks. If Ryan can't go against the Vols, Cadeau and Trimble will have to keep up the production.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Will Cormac Ryan play vs. Tennessee?: Injury update for UNC basketball
