Maryland Basketball to Face No. 9 North Carolina in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Nov 24, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams gestures from the sidelines against the Kansas State Wildcats in the second half at Sprint Center. The Tar Hells won 80-70. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Familiar foes will clash Tuesday night in a battle between two top-10 teams.

The Maryland basketball team is coming off of a convincing victory over the Cleveland State Vikings. Their next opponent will certainly pose a much stiffer task for them, however. The North Carolina Tar Heels are a familiar foe for the Terps, but this time around, the two teams are no longer conference foes. The two will meet in Chapel Hill as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Although, Maryland and North Carolina are no longer in the same conference, this matchup may be the biggest one we’ve seen in a while. Both teams are ranked in the top-10 nationally so there is plenty of buzz around this one. Let’s get you ready for the showdown.

Game Details:

When: Tuesday Dec. 1 @ 9:30pm

Where: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

How to Watch: ESPN/ESPN3

UNC Players to Watch:

G Marcus Paige, Jr.

The Tar Heels’ leader will be making his season debut Tuesday night. Expect some rust, being as though he has yet to play this season, but he should be fine. Paige is a strong floor general and has become a much more efficient shooter over the years. Even when not a full strength, he is a player to be weary of.

F Brice Johnson, Sr.

Johnson is the senior leader of this basketball team, if you will. He has been quite impressive thus far this season, averaging 13.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. While Johnson isn’t your typical big man, he possesses great athleticism, allowing him to be competitive down low.

F Justin Jackson, So.

Jackson is another player who is putting up impressive numbers for the Tar Heels. This year, he’s averaging 14.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Did I mention he’s only a sophomore? Jackson is capable of beating a team in multiple ways. He’s another athletic guy, which could cause some problems for the Terps.

F Kennedy Meeks, Jr.

Meeks is to North Carolina what Robert Carter has been for Maryland. He’s averaging 14.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Meeks has also made his presence felt on the defensive end of the floor as well, recording 1.5 steals and a block per game. He will be a tough guard for Maryland all night long.

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Three Things to Watch:

1. Battle of the Bigs

This game will feature two immensely talented squads, but the game will be won in the paint. The Terps and Tar Heels each have strong frontcourts, so something will have to give. Carter and frosh Diamond Stone will be going toe-to-toe with Johnson and Meeks. Both teams have depth at these positions as well. Ultimately, the team that is able to dominate in the paint and control the glass with come out with a victory.

2. Paige’s Impact

As stated earlier, Marcus Paige is making his return to action in his highly anticipated season debut. His presence, alone, should improve the play of North Carolina overall. The offense will most likely flow better than it does when Paige is not on the court. On the defensive side of things, he should give a major boost to the perimeter defense efforts, an area where the Tar Heels have struggled in this season.

3. Young Team in a Hostile Environment

Maryland has already proven itself to be a team that does not shy away from adversity. They have performed well under pressure thus far in 2015. This is their most challenging task to date though, as they travel to Chapel Hill, a place where they haven’t enjoyed much success of late. The Terps are a young team, but if they want to be considered legitimate championship contenders, they’ll will need to prove that they can win big games on the road.

Prediction:

The anticipation is building and this game is not one that should disappoint. The best-case scenario for this one is that both teams play like the top-10 teams that they are. The Terps and Tar Heels will trade blows all night long in a game with numerous lead changes. The game will come down to whichever team can make the most stops down the stretch. It’s kind of hard not to continue to ride the Maryland train until they give us a reason to do otherwise.

Maryland 78, North Carolina 74