The No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels (19-4, 7-3 ACC) head to South Florida to take on the Miami Hurricanes (18-5, 7-3 ACC) on Tuesday night, riding a five-game winning streak. Who wins?
Our North Carolina vs. Miami (FL) prediction includes the projected starting lineups, how to watch details, and a full score forecast with analysis for this must-watch ACC showdown.
North Carolina vs. Miami (FL) Projected Lineups and Key Matchups
North Carolina Tar Heels Starting Lineup
- G Derek Dixon (Fr.)
- G Seth Trimble (Sr.)
- G Jaydon Young (Jr.)
- F Caleb Wilson (Fr., 23 ppg)
- C Henri Veesaar (Jr.)
Miami Hurricanes Starting Lineup
- G Tre Donaldson (Sr., 16.0 ppg, 6.1 apg)
- G Shelton Henderson (Fr., 14.3 ppg)
- G Dante Allen (Fr.)
- F Malik Reneau (Sr., 19.9 ppg)
- C Ernest Udeh Jr. (Sr., 9.9 rpg)
North Carolina vs. Miami (FL) Prediction and Preview
This game should be entertaining. It also has plenty of potential to be frustrating for basketball purists, as we should expect to see free throws missed left and right.
With accuracy from the stripe being an issue for both of these teams, no late lead is safe, and that could make this one a hold-your-breath sort of contest.
The ‘Canes are 3-3 after a 15-2 start, with the losses being a bit difficult to explain (losing in Clemson wasn’t bad, but falling to Florida State and California shouldn’t happen).
I can’t imagine you need me to tell you how last weekend went on Chapel Hill. Seth Trimble shook the college basketball world on Saturday night by beating the buzzer to beat Duke, and that has this team riding high with five straight victories.
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Trimble owned the moment, but UNC wasn’t in position for his memorable shot if not for Caleb Wilson. The phenom has led North Carolina in scoring in seven straight games and looks like the type of player that can take over the sport for a month.
Malik Reneau came over from Indiana this offseason and is giving Miami 20 points a night, giving this team someone who can keep pace with Wilson if it comes to it. That said, he hasn’t been at his best when the lights have been the brightest (11 points before fouling out against Clemson and a disappointing 7-of-16 shooting night against BYU)
I expect the road team to get the desired result, but I do think they are pushed from the jump and forced to make plays late.
Prediction: North Carolina 79, Miami 74
How To Watch North Carolina vs. Miami (FL)
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Coral Gables, FL
- Arena: Watsco Center
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: ESPN App, ESPN+
- Radio: WQAM (Miami), Tar Heel Sports Network (North Carolina)
