Tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET the ACC's North Carolina Tar Heels (4-2), a team with Top 25 talent but consistency issues, will take on the top-ranked Michigan State Spartans (7-0), conquerors of John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats, at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on ESPN. Live stream the juicy college basketball clash for free by clicking this link. Tar Heels fans can listen to the game on WSPC-AM 1010, while Spartans fans can turn their dials to Detroit 950 AM.
The Tar Heels enter play with a shocking victory over Louisville on their ledger, along with an equally stunning loss to UAB. Heels coach Roy Williams has gone 6-0 in head-to-head matchups with Spartans coach Tom Izzo, but at the moment Michigan State seems to hold the advantage.
"I just felt like they seemed to get every loose ball and so many second-shot opportunities," Williams said of the team's loss to UAB. UNC has yet to play with last year's leading scorer P.J. Hairston, a deadeye shooter who doubles as UNC's most versatile and consistent scoring threat. Missing Hairston wasn't the issue though, according to Williams.
"They won the game because of the rebounding battle. To me, it's the most important factor in the game of basketball," Williams said.
While the Heels are struggling, Izzo knows better than to underestimate a team as iconic as Carolina. "Look at their pedigree, their reputation and the number of great players they have," Izzo said. "They'll be one of the more well-coached teams that come in here."
Spartans veteran guard Keith Appling is stressing that on the court as well. "We're going to be ready," Appling said. "We're going to need to do all the little things in order to come out with a win. We know how good they are."
Michigan State will have Appling's backcourt mate Gary Harris again tonight after missing him for a game with a sore ankle.
"He's probably our most all-around important guy because of the impact he can have on both ends of the floor," Izzo said. "I think that's what's so important about getting him not only back, but getting him back where he can do those things."
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