By R.L. Bynum
Ohio State (8–2) vs. No. 12 North Carolina (10–1)
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: State Farm Arena in Atlanta (home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks); UNC is 2–2 in the arena, going 2–1 in the 2012 ACC tournament and losing to Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic 87–83 on Dec. 16, 2023.
What: 12th CBS Sports Classic
— UNC (7–4) and Ohio State (6–4) have the best records in the event. This is the fourth city in which they’ve played in the Classic, with earlier games in Chicago, New Orleans and New York.
— The Tar Heels are 3–0 against the Buckeyes in the Classic.
— No. 22 St. John’s (7–3), including former UNC player Ian Jackson, plays Kentucky (7–4) in the first game at 12:30.
— The Red Storm are in the Classic for the first time, replacing UCLA, which went 3–7 in the event.
— This is the second time the Classic has been played in Atlanta. On Dec. 16, 2023, at the State Farm Arena, No. 14 Kentucky beat No. 9 North Carolina 87–83, and Ohio State beat UCLA 67–60.
TV: CBS: Brad Nessler play-by-play, Bill Raftery and Bruce Pearl analysts, Jenny Dell sideline reporter
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network (affiliates list; streams on the Varsity Network app);
Jones Angell play-by-play, Tyler Zeller analyst
Coaches: Jake Diebler (33–20 in third season at Ohio State) and Hubert Davis (111–46 in fifth season, all at UNC; was 228–95 in nine seasons as a UNC assistant coach)
UNC projected starters: Kyan Evans, Luka Bogavac or Seth Trimble, Jarin Stevenson, Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar
Series: UNC leads 13–3 (see list below), with wins in eight of the last nine meetings.
Line: UNC -4
Moneylines: UNC -164; Ohio State +136
Over/under: 156½
Records against the spread: UNC 7–4 (4–3 as the favorite); Ohio State 4–6 (1–1 as the underdog)
Quad designation: Ohio State’s NET ranking is 47, making this a Quad 1 game for UNC. It will be the Buckeyes’ third Quad 1 game after splitting the first two (winning at Northwestern and losing at home against No. 18 Illinois).
Ohio State results (5 of 8 wins have been Quad 4)
Oct. 26: 103–74 exhibition win over Ohio
Nov. 3: 118–102 win vs. IU Indy
Nov. 7: 94–68 win vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
Nov. 11: 75–53 win vs. Appalachian State
Nov. 16: 64–63 win vs. Notre Dame
Nov. 20: 91–58 win vs. Western Michigan
Nov. 25: 113–60 win vs. Mount St. Mary’s
Nov. 28: 67–66 loss at Pittsburgh
Dec. 6: 86–82 win at Northwestern
Dec. 9: 88–80 loss at No. 18 Illinois
Saturday: 89–88 double-OT win vs. West Virginia in Cleveland
Projected Ohio State starters
No. 2 | G | Bruce Thornton (top photo) | 6–2, 215 | senior
— Team-leading 21.8 points, 60.2 FG%, team-leading 50.0 3P% (26 of 52; tied for 12th in the country), team-leading 86.3 FT%, 5.0 rebounds, team-high 44 assists, 13 turnovers, 13 steals, 2 blocks
— An elite shooter, he was All-Big Ten Second Team last season
— Eclipsed 1,700 career points Saturday and is ninth in program history in career scoring.
— Scored career-high 38 points on Nov. 7 vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (highlights below)
No. 0 | G | John Mobley Jr. | 6–2, 185 | sophomore
— 13.8 points, 40.4 FG%, 35.9 3P%, 79.5 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 25 assists, 17 turnovers, 5 steals
— He scored a career-high 26 points on Nov. 25 against Mount St. Mary’s (highlights below)
No. 13 | C | Christoph Tilly | 7–0, 240 | senior | Santa Clara transfer
— 13.8 points, 45.1 FG%, 12.9 3P%, 81.3 FT%, team-leading 5.9 rebounds, 27 assists, 19 turnovers, 6 blocks, 5 steals
— Born in Germany but moved to Chile when he was six.
— Scored a career-high 26 points on Nov. 3 against IU Indy (highlights below)
No. 21 | F | Devin Royal | 6–6, 230 | junior
— 13.3 points, 47.6 FG%, 38.2 3P%, 81.8 FT%, 5.7 rebounds, 15 assists, 18 turnovers, 7 steals.
— His perimeter shooting has improved since he shifted to the wing.
No. 14 | F | Brandon Noel | 6–8, 240 | fifth year | Wright State transfer
— 8.4 points, 67.9 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 71.4 FT%, 4.7 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 turnovers, 2 blocks, 3 steals
— In three seasons at Wright State, he was All-Horizon League Second Team twice (2024 and 2025) and Third team once (2023)
— Granted a medical redshirt after suffering an ACL injury in the 2020–21 season
More on Tar Heels
— Wilson eager for high-stakes homecoming, says Heels ‘should dominate’
— UNC second-highest ACC team in NET after jump; Quad 1 game becomes Quad 2; 4 becomes 3
— Easy does it: Evans finding his groove by passing for ‘singles’
Scouting the Buckeyes
Coach Jake Diebler’s philosophy is to push the pace, spread the floor and let the guards, led by Bruce Thornton, dictate the game.
Thornton can take over a game at any moment and can score many ways, including shooting 50% from 3-point range (tied for 12th in the country). Alongside him is John Mobley Jr., a sophomore guard who complements Thornton perfectly with scoring punch and clutch shot-making, giving Ohio State a dynamic backcourt that few teams can match.
On the wings, Devin Royal has emerged as a versatile threat. He’s strong enough to battle inside but skilled enough to stretch defenses with his shooting. Inside, Christoph Tilly provides size and scoring, anchoring the interior with a soft touch and solid rebounding. Transfers such as Brandon Noel add depth, while freshman Amare Bynum inject energy and athleticism off the bench.
Offensively, the Buckeyes thrive on tempo and spacing. They confidently attempt 3-pointers and attack mismatches relentlessly. Defense has been an issue, with Ohio State struggling to contain dribble penetration, leaving it vulnerable against physical frontcourts.
Notes
— Seth Trimble returns ot action just in time to likely get the defensive assignment on Bruce Thornton.
— Ohio State, picked ninth in the 18-team Big Ten, is 82–66 all-time against current ACC members after beating Notre Dame 64–63 on Nov. 16 but losing 67–66 at Pittsburgh on Nov. 28. Those are two of the Buckeyes’ three one-point games. They beat West Virginia 89–88 in double overtime on Saturday.
— Thornton hit a short game-winning jumper with three seconds left Saturday in the Buckeyes’ win over West Virginia in Cleveland. Thornton finished with 23 points while freshman Amare Bynum scored a season-high 17 points.
— Thornton and Caleb Wilson will both play in their hometown. Thornton is from nearby Fairburn, Ga.
— With a win, UNC, 10–1 for the first time since 2017–18, would earn its first start of at least 11–1 since going 11–1, 12–0 and 12–0 consecutively in 2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008–09. This is the 43rd time that Carolina has started either 10–1 or 11–0.
— This is Carolina’s first game in Atlanta since losing 74–73 at Georgia Tech on Jan. 30, 2024.
— Wilson and Henri Veesaar have combined for 36.4 points and 19.5 rebounds per game, 28 blocks and 46 assists. They’ve shot 59.2% from the floor and attempted 141 free throws. They’ve had double-doubles in the same game four times, one from being tied for the eighth-most in program history.
— Wilson is 12th in the country and leads all freshmen in rebounds (10.4 per game; best in the ACC), with seven or more rebounds in the last 10 games. He’s fifth in the country and leads the ACC in double-doubles with seven.
— Veesaar is third in the ACC and 15th in the country with five double-doubles. He’s second in the ACC and 18th in the country in field goal percentage (64.5%).
Series: UNC 13, Ohio State 3
UNC season statistics
Ohio State season statistics
Statistical comparison
| Category | OSU | UNC |
| Points per game | 87.6 | 80.7 |
| Scoring defense | 72.9 | 64.1 |
| Scoring margin | +14.7 | +16.6 |
| FG% | 51.2% | 47.2% |
| 3P FG % | 34.8% | 32.7% |
| 3P per game | 8.6 | 8.2 |
| FT% | 77.9% | 69.6% |
| FG% defense | 41.8% | 37.0% |
| 3FG% defense | 30.4% | 30.3% |
| Opponent 3P/game | 7.5 | 6.7 |
| Rebounds per game | 37.3 | 42.1 |
| Offensive rebounds/game | 9.5 | 11.8 |
| Rebounding margin | +6.0 | +9.5 |
| Assists per game | 17.1 | 16.5 |
| Turnovers per game | 11.2 | 10.2 |
| Assist-to-turnover ratio | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Turnovers forced/game | 12.2 | 9.4 |
KenPom comparison
| Category | OSU | UNC |
| Overall ranking | 40 | 22 |
| Offensive efficiency | 118.9 (39) | 119.1 (36) |
| Defensive efficiency | 100.8 (54) | 97.1 (24) |
| Effective FG% | 58.5 (13) | 54.2 (82) |
| Turnover % | 15.5 (73) | 14.7 (45) |
| Offensive rebound % | 30.9 (184) | 34.9 (75) |
| FTA/FGA | 41.6 (63) | 41.8 (61) |
| Strength of schedule | 329 | 176 |
| Team | League | Overall | NET* |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 4 Duke | 9–0 | 20–1 | 2 |
| No. 20 Clemson | 8–1 | 18–4 | 31 |
| No. 18 Virginia | 7–2 | 18–3 | 18 |
| N.C. State | 7–2 | 16–6 | 26 |
| Miami | 6–3 | 17–5 | 39 |
| No. 14 North Carolina | 5–3 | 17–4 | 25 |
| No. 24 Louisville | 5–4 | 15–6 | 17 |
| Virginia Tech | 5–5 | 16–7 | 56 |
| SMU | 4–4 | 15–6 | 34 |
| California | 4–5 | 16–6 | 51 |
| Syracuse | 4–5 | 13–9 | 78 |
| Stanford | 3–6 | 14–8 | 77 |
| Florida State | 3–6 | 10–12 | 102 |
| Boston College | 2–6 | 9–12 | 152 |
| Georgia Tech | 2–7 | 11–11 | 143 |
| Notre Dame | 2–7 | 11–11 | 85 |
| Wake Forest | 2–7 | 11–11 | 70 |
| Pittsburgh | 2–7 | 9–13 | 114 |
* — Through Saturday games
Saturday’s games
No. 14 North Carolina 91, Georgia Tech 75
No. 4 Duke 72, Virginia Tech 58
N.C. State 96, Wake Forest 78
No. 20 Clemson 63, Pittsburgh 52
No. 18 Virginia 73, Boston College 66
No. 24 Louisville 88, SMU 74
California 86, Miami 81
Florida State 88, Stanford 80
Syracuse 86, Notre Dame 72
Monday’s game
Syracuse at No. 14 North Carolina, 7 p.m., ESPN
Tuesday’s games
Boston College at No. 4 Duke, 7 p.m., ACC Network
Pittsburgh at No. 18 Virginia, 9 p.m., ACC Network
N.C. State at SMU, 9 p.m, ESPN2
Wednesday’s games
Notre Dame at No. 24 Louisville, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Georgia Tech at California, 8 p.m., ACC Network
No. 20 Clemson at Stanford, 10 p.m., ACC Network
Saturday’s games
Virginia Tech at N.C. State, noon, The CW
Syracuse at No. 18 Virginia, noon, ESPN
No. 24 Louisville at Wake Forest, noon, ACC Network
Miami at Boston College, 2 p.m., ACC Network
SMU at Pittsburgh, 2 p.m., The CW
Florida State at Notre Dame, 4 p.m., The CW
No. 4 Duke at No. 14 North Carolina, 6:30, ESPN
No. 20 Clemson at California, 8 p.m., ACC Network
Georgia Tech at Stanford, 8 p.m., ESPNU
| Date | Month/day | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 24 | Friday | L, 78–76 | vs. No. 13 BYU in SLC | Exhib. |
| 29 | Wednesday | W, 95–53 | vs. Winston-Salem St. | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 94–54 | vs. Central Arkansas | 1–0 |
| 7 | Friday | W, 87–74 | vs. No. 14 Kansas | 2–0 |
| 11 | Tuesday | W, 89–74 | vs. Radford | 3–0 |
| 14 | Friday | W, 97–53 | vs. N.C. Central | 4–0 |
| 18 | Tuesday | W, 73–61 | vs. Navy | 5–0 |
| Fort Myers Tip-Off | ||||
| 25 | Tuesday | W, 85–70 | vs. St. Bonaventure | 6–0 |
| 27 | Thursday | L, 74–58 | vs. No. 7 Michigan State | 6–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge | |||
| 2 | Tuesday | W, 67–64 | at Kentucky | 7–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 81–61 | vs. Georgetown | 8–1 |
| 13 | Saturday | W, 80–62 | vs. USC Upstate | 9–1 |
| 16 | Tuesday | W, 77–58 | vs. ETSU | 10–1 |
| CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta | ||||
| 20 | Saturday | W, 71–70 | vs. Ohio State | 11–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 22 | Monday | W, 99–51 | vs. East Carolina | 12–1 |
| 30 | Tuesday | W, 79–66 | vs. Florida State | 13–1, 1–0 ACC |
| January | ||||
| 3 | Saturday | L, 97–83 | at SMU | 13–2, 1–1 |
| 10 | Saturday | W, 87–84 | vs. Wake Forest | 14–2, 2–1 |
| 14 | Wednesday | L, 95–90 | at Stanford | 14–3, 2–2 |
| 17 | Saturday | L, 84–78 | at California | 14–4, 2–3 |
| 21 | Wednesday | W, 91–69 | vs. Notre Dame | 15–4, 3–3 |
| 24 | Saturday | W, 85–80 | at No. 17 Virginia | 16–4, 4–3 |
| 31 | Saturday | W, 91–75 | at Georgia Tech | 17–4, 5–3 |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. Syracuse | ESPN |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | vs. No. 4 Duke | ESPN |
| 10 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | at Miami | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 14 | Saturday | 2 p.m. | vs. Pittsburgh | ESPN |
| 17 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 21 | Saturday | 1 p.m. | at Syracuse | ABC |
| 23 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. No. 20 Louisville | ESPN |
| 28 | Saturday | 6:30 or 8:30 | vs. Virginia Tech | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| March | ||||
| 3 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. No. 22 Clemson | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | at No. 4 Duke | ESPN |
| 10–14 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament | Spectrum Center, Charlotte |
Photo via ohiostatebuckeyes.com
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