Fansided

P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald to miss Hall of Fame Tipoff

By Jason Marcum

Nov 17, 2013; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Leslie McDonald (2) and guard P.J. Hairston (15) sit on the sideline during the second half of their loss to the Belmont Bruins at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center. Belmont won 83-80. Mandatory Credit: Liz Condo-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 17, 2013; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Leslie McDonald (2) and guard P.J. Hairston (15) sit on the sideline during the second half of their loss to the Belmont Bruins at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center. Belmont won 83-80. Mandatory Credit: Liz Condo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 17, 2013; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Leslie McDonald (2) and guard P.J. Hairston (15) sit on the sideline during the second half of their loss to the Belmont Bruins at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center. Belmont won 83-80. Mandatory Credit: Liz Condo-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 17, 2013; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Leslie McDonald (2) and guard P.J. Hairston (15) sit on the sideline during the second half of their loss to the Belmont Bruins at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center. Belmont won 83-80. Mandatory Credit: Liz Condo-USA TODAY Sports /

The North Carolina Tar Heels are still without two of their best players, who may be out of action for the foreseeable future. Guards P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald did not play in the team’s first three games of the year. That includes an upset home-loss to the Belmont Bruins and two wins vs Oakland and Holy Cross. Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams says Hairston and senior McDonald won’t travel with the team for this weekend’s Hall of Fame Tipoff because of NCAA eligibility concerns.

That’s very-bad news for the Heels, as they’ll possibly be facing a higher level of competition this weekend, as the No. 24 Tar Heels face the Richmond Spiders in Saturday’s semifinals in Uncasville, Conn. But the big game comes against the winner plays the Fairfield-Louisville Cardinals winner in Sunday’s final, and the defending National Champions should roll in that game, leaving the Heels to play the No. 3 Cards without Hairston or McDonald.

Hairston averaged nearly 15 points last season and shot 40 percent from 3-point range. He opted to return to school after he nearly left for the NBA Draft this past  spring.