Virginia @ North Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 8, 2019 ) North Carolina 47, Virginia 56

While North Carolina is already aware it will need to win the ACC Tournament if it wants to make the NCAA Tournament, Virginia is hoping a strong finish will help it avoid a similar fate. The Cavaliers set their sights on their fifth victory in six tries when they visit the Tar Heels on Saturday.

Virginia has steadied the ship both times after twice falling to .500 in league action and appears to be surging at the right time, winning four of its last five with a road setback at ACC-leading Louisville serving as its only setback over that stretch. The Cavaliers held on for a 50-49 overtime home victory Tuesday over Notre Dame in what Fighting Irish coach Mike Brey characterized as a "rock fight," prevailing despite making only one field goal over the final 6 1/2 minutes of regulation and settling for three free throws in the extra period. The Tar Heels hit a new low Tuesday, falling into last place in the ACC following a 74-57 loss at Wake Forest three days after nearly upsetting No. 7 Duke. North Carolina is in the midst of its third losing streak of at least four games in 2019-20 - a feat that had never happened in program history prior to this season.

TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN

ABOUT VIRGINIA (16-7, 8-5 ACC): Mamadi Diakite's jumper with just under 30 seconds remaining sent the game into overtime, and he ended the game with 20 points on 7-of-15 from the floor on a night where no other Cavalier scored more than eight points and the rest of his teammates combined to go 12-for-36. Braxton Key (10.1 points, 7.5 rebounds) misfired on six of his seven shot attempts and tallied only three points, but he corralled a career-high 12 boards and his free throw with just over two minutes in overtime proved to be the game-winner. Jay Huff buried both of his 3-pointers during a critical 10-0 second-half run and added nine rebounds to go along with two blocks, giving him 11 rejections over his last four outings.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (10-14, 3-10): The Tar Heels gave themselves virtually no chance to win against Wake Forest by shooting 33.3 percent from the field, including a 1-for-16 showing beyond the arc that marked the second time this season they failed to hit multiple triples (Virginia; 1-for-14). Charleston Southern graduate transfer Christian Keeling (5.6 points) tallied a season-high 15 points for North Carolina and is averaging 14 points over the three games third-leading scorer Brandon Robinson has missed due to an ankle injury. Cole Anthony (team-high 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds) is averaging 20.3 points and 7.5 boards in four games since returning from a knee scope, but the freshman guard is only 22-for-72 from the field over that span.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. North Carolina and Virginia rank 13th and 14th, respectively, in the ACC in field-goal percentage, and 14th and 15th, respectively, in 3-point percentage.

2. The Cavaliers' five-game winning streak in the series is their longest against North Carolina since 1918-20.

3. The Tar Heels are 66-8 all-time against Virginia in Chapel Hill and have never dropped consecutive home games to the Cavaliers.

PREDICTION: Virginia 56, North Carolina 50