Roy Williams talks Tony Bradley, paddleboarding ahead of clash with Boston College

Roy Williams held his weekly press conference on Friday afternoon at the Smith Center. The No. 9 North Carolina men's basketball team is on a five game winning streak and plays Boston College Saturday afternoon in Chestnut Hill.

Here are three things you missed.

Bradley expected to play

Tony Bradley, a first-year center from Bartow, Fla, has missed North Carolina’s last two games after suffering a concussion in UNC’s 93-87 win over Wake Forest on Jan. 11.

Williams said Bradley practiced with the team on Wednesday and participated in Thursday’s shootaround. He’s been cleared to play, but ultimately Williams will make the call whether or not he suits up and how much he plays against the Eagles.

Bradley’s offensive rebounding and rim protector will be welcome additions to the North Carolina lineup.

Reminders of Atlanta

North Carolina started off conference play with a 75-63 loss to Georgia Tech in Atlanta. UNC couldn’t hit shots, crack the Georgia Tech 1-3-1 zone or find enough defensive stops in the second half to climb back into the game. But the Tar Heels have gotten back on track, winning five straight conference games.

“Everybody was abandoning ship after the Georgia Tech game, and now everybody’s trying to get their floats back on,” Williams said.

Williams still reminds his team, though, of the loss in Atlanta as an example of what happens if they aren’t ready to play.

“He brings it up all the time,” senior forward Kennedy Meeks said. “He brings it up in practice, he brings it up if we are in the game and playing sloppy, or if we don’t have energy. He’ll say something like, ‘You guys are looking like you were in Atlanta.’”

UNC faces a similar situation on Saturday against Boston College. The Eagles, who have a losing record both overall and in conference play (9-10, 2-4 ACC,) don’t look like much of a test on paper. But the Tar Heels are cognizant of what happened in Atlanta and will try their hardest to not let it happen again.

Paddle boarding

During a discussion about gifts he’s received as a coach, Williams started talking about his surf board collection and how he went paddle boarding one time in Hawaii.

“I got on a stand-up paddle board one time, because I really thought that would be neat to do,” he said.

What follows is a harrowing tale of a paddle boarding trip gone wrong.

“And I got up on the stand-up paddle board, and fell, got back up, kind of got cocky and gave it the Rocky," he said. "And the paddle was laying between my feet so I reached over to get the paddle and I slipped."

“And when I did, I did a somersault and went under the water and had a vertigo attack. And I’m under the water and can’t figure out which ways up. And then I see the rope that’s tied on my foot and I pulled it, got up, climbed on it, straddled it and paddled in, got there."

“And the guy said, ‘Coach are you alright? You were under the water more than I thought was necessary.’ And I said, ‘Here, just take the board.’"

“I walked about 50 yards and went in the woods and puked, and laid on the bed for about five hours, sick as a dog. Got on a plane, flew all night back from Hawaii, and never been on a stand-up paddleboard again.”

@bauman_john

sports@dailytarheel.com