Tip-off time announced for UNC-Michigan State NCAA Tournament clash

Michigan State may have won its most recent matchup against UNC, but the Tar Heels are a National Championship contender this year.

With one day of March Madness come and gone, I think it’s safe to say we’ve already had our fair share of memorable games.

Samford nearly upset Kansas in the night’s final matchup, Dayton rallied from down 17 to top Nevada and, in the most surprising outcome from Thursday, 14-seed Oakland upset 3-seed Kentucky behind 15 3-pointers.

Thursday’s first two games – Michigan State-Mississippi State (69-51) and UNC-Wagner (90-62) – were blowouts in Charlotte, NC’s Spectrum Center. Both Sparty (20-14 record) and the Tar Heels (28-7) pulled away from their opponents in the second half, thanks to high-octane, balanced scoring attacks.

North Carolina received expected contributions from stars RJ Davis (game-high 22 points) and Armando Bacot (20 points, 15 rebounds), but also a surprise double-double from Jae’Lyn Withers (16 points, 10 rebounds). This game had to feel extra sweet from Withers, who grew up in the Queen City.

If you haven’t guessed by now, UNC and MSU are playing each other on Saturday, March 23 in the Round of 32. We now know tip-off time, with both Blue Bloods set to clash at 5:30 p.m. ET.

The Tar Heels and Spartans don’t have an extensive history against each other, but it’s a matchup the former has dominated. UNC has won 12 of 16 matchups in the series, including six of the last seven.

You may remember the 2009 National Championship best, when perhaps the greatest North Carolina team ever assembled beat MSU, 89-72. Ty Lawson led UNC in the title game with 21 points, while Wayne Ellington (19) and Tyler Hansbrough (18) also reached double-digits.

Will we see another legendary NCAA Tournament game when these two storied programs tip off?

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