Last year, Stanford shocked the world as +12.5 favorites and beat UNC outright in Chapel Hill. Tonight, the rematch takes place at the Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California. Will the Cardinal pull off the upset in back to back seasons, or will the Tarheels get their lick back after last year’s brutal loss? There are many reasons why Stanford can keep this game close, potentially pulling off the upset.

The biggest reason starts with freshman sensation Ebuka Okorie. The dynamic guard is one of the nation's top scorers, averaging 22.1 points per game—second in the ACC and eighth nationally. He's already broken Stanford's freshman scoring records, dropped 32 in a game earlier this season, and consistently dominates with explosive scoring bursts, efficient shooting, and playmaking. Against a North Carolina perimeter defense that has shown vulnerabilities (especially in transition and guarding quick guards), Okorie should feast. His ability to create his own shot and draw fouls will keep Stanford in rhythm all night, especially with the home crowd energizing his breakout campaign.

North Carolina enters at 14-2, ranked 14th in the country, but they're a bit overrated at this point. Their resume looks shiny, but dig into it and you'll see they've feasted on a relatively soft slate so far. Their strength of schedule ranks outside the top 30 nationally, and in early ACC play, they've avoided many of the conference's elite road tests. Wins have come against teams they've handled comfortably at home or in neutral settings, but their one true road challenge exposed cracks—they needed late heroics to escape Wake Forest recently, and an earlier loss at SMU highlighted struggles away from Chapel Hill. This cross-country trip to the West Coast adds fatigue: late tip, three time zone difference, and a quick turnaround before facing Cal. East Coast teams historically struggle in these Pacific swings, and UNC's youth could amplify their problems on Wednesday night.

Stanford, meanwhile, thrives at home. Maples Pavilion is a tough venue, and the Cardinal have already knocked off Louisville and beaten a solid Virginia Tech squad on the road. They're 2-2 in ACC play but playing disciplined basketball under coach Kyle Smith, with strong guard play complementing Okorie and solid frontcourt depth. The pace should favor Stanford—they force opponents into half-court grinds while capitalizing on transition, where Okorie excels.

Add in UNC's occasional shooting slumps from beyond the arc and turnover issues on the road, and Stanford on the spread seems even more enticing. Stanford keeps this within a possession or wins outright. Take the Cardinal to cover confidently in this late-night ACC battle.