MSU women vs. North Carolina in NCAA tournament: What to know and how to watch
LANSING — Michigan State’s women’s basketball team is making its first NCAA appearance since 2021. First-year coach Robyn Fralick's team plays North Carolina in the first round.
Here’s what you need to know:
Who is North Carolina? The Tar Heels are making their fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance, but have been in the Big Dance every year since missing three tournaments from 2016-18 (the 2020 tournament was canceled because of the pandemic). Veteran coach Courtney Banghart's team plays in the ACC, and is one of eight league teams to make the tournament this year, along with North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Duke, Florida State, Louisville and Syracuse.
Who is Courtney Banghart? The veteran coach has a 349-158 career record, and is in her fifth season with the program. She previously coached at Princeton for 12 years and took the Ivy League team to the NCAA tournament seven times. She played at Dartmouth from 1996-2000 where she averaged more than 13 points per game.
What is North Carolina known for? Its men's team is a college basketball blue blood with six NCAA championships to show for it. But the school is much smaller than MSU, with about 20,000 students compared to MSU's more than 50,000. North Carolina is the oldest public university in the country and welcomed its first students in 1795. It is the only public university to have awarded degrees in the 18th century and touts itself as a teaching and research school.
Who is North Carolina's most famous player? The Tar Heels' men's program — which the MSU men could face if they win Thursday against Mississippi State — has Michael Jordan, of course, among numerous others. For the women, guard Ivory Latta was drafted 11th overall in 2007 by the WNBA's Detroit Shock and made a career as a professional. Other notable UNC names include Jessica Breland, Erlana Larkins and Nikki Teasley. Under coach Sylvia Hatchell, the Tar Heels won the national championship in 1993-94.
Who has the better record? MSU. The Spartans have compiled a 22-8 mark, finishing fourth in the Big Ten with a 12-6 record. North Carolina has a 19-12 record, finishing in a tie for seventh place in the ACC with an 11-7 conference record.
When is the game? Tipoff is set for 11:30 a.m. on Friday.
Where is the game being held? The Spartans have the first game in their Albany Region site at Columbia, South Carolina, home of the top seed in the region, No. 1 seed South Carolina. South Carolina is undefeated at 32-0 and is the likely second-round opponent on Sunday should the Spartans win Friday.
How can I watch? The game will be televised on ESPN2.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State women vs. North Carolina in March Madness: How to watch
