CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Ty Lawson's troublesome toe could keep North Carolina's speedy point guard sidelined for the Tar Heels' NCAA tournament opener.

Coach Roy Williams says the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year must practice Tuesday and Wednesday in order to play in Thursday's NCAA matchup against Radford. Lawson has been hobbled since injuring his right big toe before the regular-season finale against Duke, an injury that sidelined him at last weekend's ACC tournament.

Williams says Lawson's recovery is going slower than he had expected. Lawson said at the ACC tournament that he was feeling better after several days of rest.

The Tar Heels are the top seed in the South Region and open the tournament in Greensboro, N.C., about an hour from campus.