The North Carolina Tar Heels and Michigan State Spartans square off Thursday night at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in a matchup that feels like March Madness arrived four months early.
The Tar Heels have stormed out of the gates this season, stacking wins like trading cards and wasting no time padding the résumé. Carolina kicked things off with a comfortable victory over Central Arkansas, then followed it up by knocking off a powerhouse Kansas squad in game two. From there, UNC handled business against Radford on November 11, flattened North Carolina Central in a rout, and then tightened the screws defensively to put away Navy 73-61 last Tuesday. Five games, five wins — clean, polished, and convincing.
Michigan State has been every bit as sharp in its opening stretch. The Spartans launched their season with an 11-point victory over Colgate, then survived a nail-biting thriller against Arkansas. Game three saw MSU push past San Jose State, followed by a statement win over Kentucky on November 18. The fifth stop on their unbeaten tour was a wire-to-wire demolition of Detroit, sealing a 5-0 start with authority.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Michigan State vs North Carolina NCAAM game, plus plenty more.
Michigan State vs North Carolina: Date and tip-off time
The Spartans will face off against the Tar Heels in an exciting NCAAM game on Thursday, November 27, 2025, at 4:30 pm ET or 1:30 pm PT at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, FL.
| Date | Thursday, November 27, 2025 |
| Tip-off Time | 4:30 pm ET or 1:30 pm PT |
| Venue | Suncoast Credit Union Arena |
| Location | Fort Myers, FL |
How to watch Michigan State vs North Carolina on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Michigan State Spartans and the North Carolina Tar Heels live on FOX nationally. Streaming options are available on Fubo, which offers a FREE trial to new subscribers.
Streaming the game with a VPN
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Michigan State vs North Carolina team news & key performers
Michigan State Spartans team news
The 11th-ranked Michigan State Spartans have muscled their way to a 6-0 start as well, rocket-boosting themselves 11 spots in the AP Poll. MSU has already taken down Arkansas in a nail-biter (69-66) and thumped Kentucky on a neutral floor (83-66), with additional wins over Colgate, San Jose State and Detroit Mercy. On Tuesday, the Spartans bulldozed ECU 89-56 to open their Fort Myers run, flexing the defensive identity they're known for, ranking eighth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom.
And of course, the heartbeat of the Spartans is Hall of Fame legend Tom Izzo, now in his remarkable 31st season at the helm. Only Oakland's Greg Kampe has been in the same seat longer. Under Izzo’s stewardship, Michigan State has become a model of consistency: 27 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, 11 Big Ten regular-season crowns, and eight trips to the Final Four.
North Carolina Tar Heels team news
The Tar Heels shifted into a different gear after halftime in Tuesday’s Fort Myers Tip-Off opener, blowing past St. Bonaventure after taking just a slim two-point edge into the break. Once again, the frontcourt pairing of Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson took over the stage. Veesaar erupted for career highs of 24 points and 13 boards, while Wilson piled on 18 points and 12 rebounds of his own, helping UNC cruise to a 6-0 start for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign.
Caleb Wilson has been nothing short of spectacular, stacking up four straight double-doubles — a feat no freshman in program history has ever touched. Only Armando Bacot, Antawn Jamison and Mike O’Koren had previously logged three in a row. Wilson is pacing the Tar Heels with 20.2 points per night on a blistering 61.2% from the floor, while also hauling in 10.3 rebounds and swiping 1.7 steals per game.