Tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2 the No. 14-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels (7-2) will host the Texas Longhorns (9-1) in their first action since upsetting the Kentucky Wildcats over the weekend. Live stream the game for free here. Longhorns fans can listen to the game on AM 1300 The Zone, while UNC fans can follow along on the radio by turning the dial to WSPC-AM 1010.
The Heels were written off as serious title contenders when they lost two bad games to Belmont and UAB, but they also own victories over Louisville, Kentucky, and Michigan State on their home court.
"I feel like with our team this year, mentally we're there and have built up that mentality that we're going to keep fighting, go to the next play and not worry about the last play," sophomore J.P. Tokoto said. Those wins have come without their best scorer, P.J. Hairston, and dead eye long range bomber Leslie McDonald.
Without Hairston, point guard Marcus Paige has upped his scoring from 8.2 points a night last season to 19.2 in 2013-2014. "I think especially after getting the two big games earlier in the year, we had more confidence and belief we could get this one done," Paige said following the Kentucky game.
Longhorns coach Rick Barnes is especially wary of UNC's transition game. "They really get down the floor, and this year they are rebounding the ball," Barnes said. "They are really hurting teams in transition by getting out and getting a running start and driving the ball hard at teams.
"I think the key is in transition defense, you really have to rebound, and on the other end you have to be aggressive. I think we have got the right method against them and on the other end we will be willing to get into an up-tempo game."
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