CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball team will open their 2024 NCAA Tournament campaign Thursday afternoon, but they didn’t learn their opponent until Tuesday night.
UNC (27-7), the No. 1 seed in the West region, will face No. 16 Wagner (17-15) on Thursday afternoon at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. The game is set to tip off at 2:45 p.m. and can be seen right here on CBS 17.
To earn a date with UNC, Wagner held off Howard 71-68 in a First Four game in Dayton, OH on Tuesday night. The Seahawks won the Northeast Conference Championship on March 12 to punch their first ticket to the big dance since 2003.
UNC has one of the most decorated postseason histories in men’s college basketball, including a record number of Final Four appearances — the most recent of which was in 2022, their last appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels have a No. 1 seed for a record 18th time and are 14-0 against No. 16 seeds.
The North Carolina and Wagner men’s basketball programs have never faced each other. Here’s how to watch their first-ever matchup.
North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Wagner Seahawks
When: 2:45 p.m. Thursday, March 21
Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
TV channel: CBS
Streaming: ncaa.com
Radio: Westwood One radio stations nationwide, including 101.5 FM (Raleigh) and 620 AM (Raleigh-Durham)
Online radio: goheels.com
Betting odds: North Carolina is 24.5-point favorite over Wagner, according to CBS Sports oddsmaker SportsLine. The over-under is 133.5