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Marshall’s absence raises the question: Who is Stilman White?

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Mike Miller

OK, so the odds of North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall playing vs. Ohio are roughly the same as you posting a perfect bracket. Without him running the show, the Midwest’s No. 1 seed should be OK against the 13th-seeded Bobcats, even with Stilman White likely getting the start.

Which raises the question: Who the heck is Stilman White?

Here’s how UNC coach Roy Williams described him on Thursday.

“He’s really a nice kid,” Williams said. “I mean, he’s a little wacko now. … I mean, no, he’s a lot wacko. But he’s really a good kid. And we have enjoyed the dickens out of him.

“Stilman is like a little colt running around out there. Kendall thinks three plays ahead. Stilman’s still trying to think [whether] he’s got both shoes tied. … But Stilman’s got a little toughness to him. I mean, he really does. Like I say, he’s wacko and maybe it’s the wacko to the extent that he doesn’t realize it, but I like the toughness. He’s willing to try to make plays. I don’t worry any more about Stilman tomorrow than I would if he was going to play two minutes. Because he’s still wacko. …

“We have thrown him out there a couple of minutes in some big games and he’s done fine. And he comes back over to the bench and just sort of sits down and he’s got this little grin on his face, and somebody will say, ‘Good job.’ And he will say, ‘What did I do?’ ”

Ah. Sounds like the perfect player to throw out there with a trip to the regional finals on the line.

Williams was undoubtedly keeping things light, trying to take some of the spotlight off Marshall, the Heels who plays more minutes than anyone else on the roster and is second in the nation in assists. He’s also trying to ease expectations on White, a 6-foot 160-pound true freshman from Wilmington, N.C., who rarely steps on the court. White’s played 136 minutes in 32 games this season, which is what Marshall totals in four games.

But he’s been preparing for this possibility ever since junior Dexter Strickland tore his ACL in January and became Marshall’s only real backup.

“It’s something in practice you’ve got to prepare for, always prepare as if I’m going to be playing a lot of minutes,” White said. “It definitely helps to go through the ACC season, playing in that competition. ... Also, in practice, I’ve gotten to go up against the best point guard in the country.”

White will get the start, but don’t expect him to play a ton of minutes. Senior Justin Watts isn’t a natural point guard, but he’s a much better defender than White, which’ll come in handy against guard-heavy Ohio. If either D.J. Cooper or Walter Offutt heat up, Watts will be the guy guarding them.

Besides, no matter who’s running the offense, the goal remains the same: get it to the big guys. Tyler Zeller, John Henson and Harrison Barnes – all future lottery picks – should have huge games.

“Whether I’m playing or not, it’s not going to matter. Carolina basketball is still going to go on,” Marshall said. “They can be successful without me.”

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.