Miami @ North Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 19, 2019 ) North Carolina 85, Miami-Florida 76

One of the ACC's best against one of the conference's worst meet up on Saturday afternoon as eighth-ranked North Carolina hosts slumping Miami in the second meeting of the season between the schools. The Tar Heels rolled past the host Hurricanes 85-76 on Jan. 19, putting them in position to sweep Miami for the third time (2009, 2012) in the five years that the teams have met twice in the home-and-home series.

The Tar Heels come in on fire after a sizzling shooting performance Tuesday in a 113-86 triumph over rival North Carolina State. North Carolina shot 56.1 percent from the floor, its top effort in an ACC game and its second-highest percentage overall this season and the Tar Heels wound up with their highest regular-season scoring total in an ACC contest since January 1968 (115 vs. Clemson). That kind of explosive offense could doom the Hurricanes, who have yet to score more than 82 points since conference play began and are actually averaging just 66.6 points in their ACC games, down from 72.6 overall. Miami comes in, however, off its best defensive showing of the season as Jim Larranaga's troops finally got back in the win column with a 62-47 triumph over Notre Dame on Wednesday, ending their five-game skid thanks to holding Notre Dame to a season-low 32.1 percent shooting from the floor.

TV: Noon ET, Raycom

ABOUT MIAMI (10-12, 2-8 ACC): There were many positives coming out of Miami's much-needed victory over Notre Dame as the Hurricanes held the lead (28-23) at halftime for the first time since Jan. 6 and their 16-point second-half advantage was their largest in ACC action. Guards Dejan Vasiljevic (15 points, career-high 10 rebounds) and Anthony Lawrence (11 points, game-high 12 rebounds) each came up big, producing the school's first pair of double-doubles on the same night since the opening round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes are forced to rely on a four-guard lineup due to a seven-man rotation and they will need a big effort on the boards from center Ebuka Izundu, who sits fourth in the conference with 8.8 rebounds per game.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (18-4, 8-1): The Tar Heels had five players score in double figures against N.C. State, led by star forward Luke Maye, who had another huge outing with a season-high 31 points (10-of-15 shooting) and 12 rebounds, and freshman guard Coby White (21 points). "We kind of go in waves," said guard Cameron Johnson, who finished with 17 points against the Wolfpack but topped the Tar Heels with 22 in the earlier meeting with Miami. "Some guys have big nights, and then next guy has a big night the next game ... and that's pretty special to our team and bodes well going forward." The Tar Heels rank second in the nation in scoring (88.3) and first in rebounds (43.4) and they are 17-2 when winning the battle of the boards and 0-2 when they come up on the short end.

TIP-INS

1. North Carolina holds a 23-8 advantage in the all-time series with Miami, including victories in five of the last seven meetings.

2. Miami held Notre Dame to 47 points, the fewest by a Hurricanes opponent in ACC action since a 72-46 win over Pittsburgh on Jan. 14, 2017.

3. The Tar Heels are seeking their first 9-1 start in league play under head coach Roy Williams after the team went 8-2 three times.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 90, Miami 73