• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Top-ranked UNC takes on Michigan State

Dec 3, 2008 - 1:09 PM No. 1 North Carolina (7-0) vs. No. 12 Michigan State (4-1), 9:15 p.m. EST

DETROIT (Ticker) -- North Carolina puts its unbeaten record on the line, and gets a view of a possible destination, when it faces No. 12 Michigan State at Ford Field on Wednesday.

This venue - the site of the 2009 Final Four - is a place top-ranked North Carolina no doubt hopes to visit again this spring.

The odds-on favorite to win the national title, the Tar Heels have outscored opponents by 29.8 points thus far, and are not at full strength yet.

Last season's consensus National Player of the Year, Tyler Hansbrough has missed four contests due to a stress reaction in his right shin. Marcus Ginyard is also out with a broken foot.

Hansbrough did not play in the Tar Heels' 116-48 destruction of North Carolina-Asheville on Sunday. It was the second straight game and third time this season North Carolina topped 100 points.

It is uncertain whether Hansbrough will play against the Spartans, who also have hopes of making a run in the NCAA Tournament.

After dropping the opener of the Old Spice Classic to Maryland, Michigan State bounced back with wins over Oklahoma State and Wichita State in Orlando, Florida.

Raymar Morgan leads the team in scoring at 17 per contest, but the junior forward has been held in single digits in two of five games this season.

Including Hansbrough, the Tar Heels have five active players averaging in double figures. The senior is scoring 21 points per game, while Ty Lawson is averaging 16 and 6.7 assists.