UNC Basketball vs. Michigan Wolverines preview, live stream, odds

UNC Basketball and Michigan meet for the first time since the infamous national title game in 1993. Will the Heels come out on top once again?

The footage of Chris Webber in the 1993 national championship game is so ubiquitous it is seared into the college basketball fan’s mind. He picks up the ball in a trap, turns to the ref and makes the “T,” signaling for a timeout the Wolverines don’t have. This, of course, allowed UNC basketball to ice the game and lock up their third NCAA Tournament Championship. Now more than 20 years later, Michigan and UNC will meet in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

No. 13 North Carolina (5-1) is coming off their worst game in school history. The Tar Heels shot just 24.6 percent from the field and were 1-of-18 (5.6 percent) from three-point range. Then No. 4 Michigan State won 63-45.  Theo Pinson was the only Heel in double figures with 16 points. Joel Berry was 2-of-11 from the field but had the only Carolina three-pointer. Luke Maye, who leads UNC in scoring at 19 points per game, scored just eight. Despite the all-time terrible performance, Carolina is still ranked 15th in both adjusted offense and defense by Ken Pomeroy.

Michigan (6-1) will face their first real test in Chapel Hill. They have played the 325th hardest schedule according to Ken Pomeroy. LSU is the only major the Wolverines have played. They lost 77-75 at the Maui Invitational. Their best win is a 68-60 win over VCU in the fifth-place game. Junior guard Charles Matthews leads Michigan with 16.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. He is also averaging 5.4 rebounds.

The ACC is two wins away from winning their second straight ACC-Big Ten Challenge entering day three.

Here’s how you can watch Wednesday’s North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Michigan Wolverines game:

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 29
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Venue: Dean E. Smith Center
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Next: NC State Basketball vs. Penn State Nittany Lions preview

North Carolina is favored by nine points. Aside from their loss, the Heels have looked dominant so far this season. You almost have to throw out the game against Michigan State because it was such a historically bad shooting night. Just by the law of averages, Carolina can’t possibly be that bad again. The Michigan State game is going to be the anomaly, not the rule. Everyone would have taken the Heels before the last game. Don’t run scared.

Prediction: North Carolina 80, Michigan 70