Tar Heels' Strickland out with injury

Published Dec. 16, 2009 10:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

North Carolina freshman Dexter Strickland missed Saturday night's game against Presbyterian with a sore left hamstring.

The 6-foot-3 guard didn't dress for the game and joined fifth-year senior Marcus Ginyard on the bench.

Ginyard sat out as a precaution due to pain in his left foot. Team officials said it was unrelated to the stress fracture that cost him nearly all last season.

The injuries depleted No. 11 North Carolina's already thin backcourt, forcing coach Roy Williams to start sophomore Justin Watts in Ginyard's place. Strickland has averaged about three points per game as the primary backup to point guard Larry Drew II.