CHARLOTTE — It might only be the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but already fans are going to be treated to a matchup of blue-blood basketball programs.
North Carolina avoided the dreaded 16-1 upset by decimating Wagner, 90-62, in the Tar Heel state. Just before that, No. 9 seed Michigan State blew out No. 8 seed Mississippi State, 69-51, to hand Tom Izzo his 56th NCAA Tournament win.
The Tar Heels and Spartans will face off Saturday in a highly anticipated clash between perennial powerhouses. This will be the third time the teams have met since Izzo became Michigan State’s head coach, and the last two meetings — the 2005 Final Four and 2009 national championship — both went in favor of the Tar Heels.
“Two storied programs, been to the most Final Fours, and yes, we haven’t beaten them in the NCAA Tournament,” Izzo said Saturday. “But you know what, we’re going to still show up. We’re going to show up tomorrow, and we’re going to see what we can do.
“I don’t look at us as a 9 seed, and some of that’s my fault. I do look at them as a 1 seed, and yet I think this year with parity in college basketball and craziness, I bet you nobody feels any more comfortable than anybody else.”
MORE: Watch UNC vs. Michigan State live with Fubo (free trial)
This might be a matchup of a No. 1 and No. 9 seed, but it’s far from the usual David vs. Goliath the pairing often seems to be. North Carolina is rated by KenPom as the No. 9 team in the country. Michigan State comes in as the No. 16 team.
Both teams come in with experienced, star players capable of taking over a game. Forward Armando Bacot is in his final season with the Tar Heels after a legendary career and guard RJ Davis has enjoyed a breakout campaign in his senior season.
On the other side, guard Tyson Walker has shined as a consistent scorer in his third season with the Spartans (fifth in college basketball) and forward Malik Hall has emerged as one of the Big Ten’s top forwards.
“It’s kind of a surreal moment to think about for the right to go to Sweet 16 you’ve got to face Tom Izzo and Michigan State,” North Carolina forward Harrison Ingram said Friday. “They’re a great team. They’ve had an up-and-down year. But they’re a preseason top five, and they earned their right to play in the tournament. They’re a really good team, and we’re ready to go.”
Sporting News will be tracking live scores and highlights from North Carolina vs. Michigan State. Follow along for updates from Saturday’s game.
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UNC vs. Michigan State score
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UNC vs. Michigan State results, highlights from 2024 March Madness
(All times Eastern)
Updates will begin closer to the start of the game, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET.
UNC vs. Michigan State start time
- Date: Saturday, March 23
- Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
Saturday’s game between North Carolina and Michigan State is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
NCAA Tournament schedule 2024
Below is the schedule for all Round 2 games on Saturday.
Saturday, March 23
Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
---|---|---|
No. 2 Arizona 78, No. 7 Dayton 68 | 12:45 p.m. | CBS/Fubo |
No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 5 Gonzaga | 3:15 p.m. | CBS/Fubo |
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Michigan State | 5:30 p.m. | CBS/Fubo |
No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 7 Washington State | 6:10 p.m. | TNT |
No. 11 NC State vs. No. 14 Oakland | 7:10 p.m. | TBS, truTV |
No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Texas | 8 p.m. | CBS/Fubo |
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 11 Duquesne | 8:40 p.m. | TNT |
No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 11 Oregon | 9:40 p.m. | TBS, truTV |