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Ohio State faces North Carolina in ACC-Big Ten marquee matchup

Nov 29, 2006 - 3:10 PM No. 1 Ohio St (6-0) at No. 6 North Carolina (4-1) 9:00 pm EST

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (Ticker) -- The marquee matchup of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge will take place Wednesday night at the Smith Center, when No. 1 Ohio State meets No. 6 North Carolina.

The Buckeyes took over the top spot in the poll this week following Friday's 91-57 rout of Youngstown State. Ivan Harris led five players in double figures with 19 points and freshman Daequan Cook added 17 and 11 rebounds.

Cook is one of many heralded freshmen that will play in Wednesday's game, not including Ohio State's imposing center Greg Oden, who is expected to be sidelined until January with a wrist injury.

North Carolina's impressive first-year class includes guards Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington and power forward Brandan Wright. All three scored at least 14 points in Friday's 101-87 triumph against Tennessee, but the Tar Heels were led by sophomore Tyler Hansbrough's 27 points and nine rebounds.

UNC is just 2-5 all-time in this event, including a 68-64 defeat to Illinois last season in a rematch of the 2005 title game. Ohio State posted its first victory in the event last year with a 69-59 win against Virginia Tech.

North Carolina leads the all-time series, 7-2, including an 81-68 triumph in the last meeting on December 18, 1993.