Thanksgiving Day.

A day to give thanks to the ones we love, a day to yell and scream in equal parts joy and agony at the Detroit Lions, a day to learn what topics must stay off the table at Christmas dinner—and now, a day for epic college basketball.

In a possible early-season championship foreshadowing, the No. 11 Michigan State Spartans will face the No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels at 4:30 PM EST tomorrow.

GAME DETAILS

Matchup: No. 11 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels

Date/Time: Thursday, November 27 — 4:30 PM EST

Location: Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Fla.

Watch: FOX

Vegas Picks: No lines posted yet

LAST FIVE GAMES

North Carolina Tar Heels

| Result | Score | Date | Opponent | Money Line |

| W | 85–70 | 11/25 | St. Bonaventure | -700 |

| W | 73–61 | 11/18 | Navy | — |

| W | 97–53 | 11/14 | NC Central | — |

| W | 89–74 | 11/11 | Radford | -3400 |

| W | 87–74 | 11/07 | Kansas | -145 |

Michigan State Spartans

| Result | Score | Date | Opponent | Money Line |

| W | 89–56 | 11/25 | East Carolina | -4000 |

| W | 84–56 | 11/21 | Detroit Mercy | — |

| W | 83–66 | 11/18 | Kentucky | +155 |

| W | 79–60 | 11/13 | San Jose State | -7500 |

| W | 69–66 | 11/08 | Arkansas | -145 |

Michigan State Overview

The Spartans look to keep their perfect record alive on Thanksgiving afternoon, riding a six-game winning streak into the semifinal of the Fort Myers Classic. MSU is coming off an 89–56 demolition of East Carolina where they hit a season-high 13 threes—just two games after drilling 11 against then–top-15 Kentucky.

The emergence of Michigan State’s deep-shooting arsenal has transformed this always-scrappy program into a destination for elite talent. Tom Izzo secured the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for 2026, and just weeks later has already collected two top-15 wins, climbed 11 spots from the preseason, and has yet another ranked showdown tomorrow.

MSU’s inside presence has also been key. Carson Cooper, Jaxon Kohler, and Cam Ward have provided physical, consistent interior play that has allowed the Spartans to dictate tempo against nearly everyone they’ve faced.

But the engine of this team is Jeremy Fears Jr., who leads the nation with 10.2 assists per game—nearly 1.5 more than second-place Braden Smith of Purdue. Fears is the quarterback of Izzo’s offense, consistently creating something out of nothing and controlling momentum.

And after a brief injury scare, Coen Carr returned against ECU and poured in 11 second-half points. His elite athleticism continues to draw NBA scouts, and his improved shooting and defense have made him a more complete threat.

North Carolina Overview

The Tar Heels also enter undefeated at 6–0, with one truly standout win: an 87–74 victory over now-No. 19 Kansas. Their remaining wins came convincingly, with the most recent an 85–70 victory over St. Bonaventure.

North Carolina’s strength lies in its frontcourt. Caleb Wilson (10.3 RPG) and Henri Veesaar (8.7 RPG) clean the glass at an elite level and will give Cooper and Kohler a major challenge. Wilson also leads UNC in scoring at 20.5 PPG, with Veesaar adding 16.3 PPG.

The Tar Heel guards can produce as well—Seth Trimble (14.5 PPG) and Luka Bogavac (12.2 PPG) add balance and perimeter aggression.

This matchup will be a true battle of big men, and on paper, that leans slightly in North Carolina’s favor.

Prediction

This game feels like a barn burner waiting to happen, and being played at a neutral site in sunny Florida should keep things balanced.

Izzo lives for these moments, and MSU has two ranked wins already compared to UNC’s one. Both teams are deep, disciplined, and athletic. Both shoot well, both rebound well, and both have legitimate Final Four upside.

This could easily be an early preview of a national championship matchup.

Prediction:

Michigan State — 79

North Carolina — 80

As much as I want State to win—and believe they can—it’s the early-season adversity that fuels long-term success. The Spartans have thrived with pressure already this season, and strangely enough, every time I pick them to lose, they end up proving me wrong. I’m not superstitious… but I am a little stitious.

So once again, we’re predicting an MSU loss.