As the regular season hits the home stretch, the UNC Tar Heels are preparing to face the Virginia Tech Hokies in a crucial ACC matchup on Saturday. With the Tar Heels currently leading the conference standings, Coach Hubert Davis emphasized the importance of competing for the regular-season ACC title after sharing the championship with Virginia back in 2019.

UNC has an upcoming favorable schedule, playing four of their final six games at home in the Smith Center. The team will look to bounce back from recent defensive struggles, with the defense trending down in their last few games. Despite a 10-game win streak earlier in the season, the Tar Heels have allowed 80 or more points in five of their six losses.

Virginia Tech, led by Coach Mike Young, has had a mixed season with notable wins and losses. The Hokies' sharpshooting backcourt duo of Hunter Cattoor and Sean Pedulla will be key players to watch in the matchup against UNC. Meanwhile, the return of Tyler Nickel, a former Tar Heel now playing for Virginia Tech, adds an intriguing storyline to the game.

UNC holds the series lead against Virginia Tech, but the Hokies have won the past two meetings between the teams. In their last encounter, Virginia Tech emerged victorious with an 80-72 win over the Tar Heels.

The projected starters for both teams include notable players such as RJ Davis and Armando Bacot for UNC, and Hunter Cattoor and Sean Pedulla for Virginia Tech. The stage is set for an exciting matchup as both teams look to secure a crucial victory in the ACC standings.