UNC Basketball vs. Stanford Cardinal preview, live stream, odds

UNC Basketball is on the West Coast for a Thanksgiving tournament. They are playing a tune-up game at Stanford before it begins. Here’s how to watch it.

UNC Basketball is heading to Oregon for a tournament sponsored by Nike that will take place over the extended Thanksgiving weekend. The Heels have only played two games so far this season, so it makes sense Roy Williams would want to take advantage of the long trip out West and get in as many games as possible. Thus they are taking a pitstop at Stanford on Tuesday night for the first time in 34 years.

The Heels (2-0) have taken care of their first two opponents by double digits. Northern Iowa was dispatched in the opener. The Heels won 86-69 without Joel Berry, who was still nursing an NBA 2K injury. Bucknell kept things close into the second half, but the Heels hung on for the 93-81 win. Berry shot just 1-for-11 in his return.

Luke Maye has picked up where he left off from last year’s tournament. The junior forward leads the team averaging 23 points per game after back-to-back 20-point games.  Freshman Sterling Manley is averaging a double-double after his 16-point, 13-rebound performance in just 17 minutes of action against Bucknell.

Stanford (3-1) is coached by Williams’ long-time assistant, Jerod Haase. He coached 9 years at Carolina. The Cardinal finished last season 14-17 overall and 6-12 in the Pac-12. They return 10 players including their All-Pac-12 forward Reid Travis. The 6-foo-8 junior is averaging 21.2 points per game this season.

Here’s how you can watch Monday’s North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Stanford Cardinal game:

Date: Monday, Nov. 20
Time: 11:30 p.m. ET
Location: Stanford, California
Venue: Maples Pavillion
TV: ESPN 2
Live Stream: WatchESPN

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The Heels are favored by 7.5 points. Carolina on the West Coast early in the season will always strike a little fear in my heart because of that loss to Santa Clara to open the 2004-2005 season that ended in Roy’s first championship. Stanford will be up for this game, but the Heels will have enough talent to overcome the time change, late start, and the home crowd.

Prediction: North Carolina 82, Stanford 72