“It’s good for our conference, certainly, to go up against and have a challenge, especially with the ACC,” MSU head coach Suzy Merchant said.

“Hopefully, it’s an opportunity for all the Big Ten teams to step up and have a good showing this year.”

This will be the third challenge on the women’s side. The Spartans are 1-1 in their games, beating Clemson in East Lansing in 2007 and losing at Georgia Tech last season. The ACC has won the challenge both seasons, posting a 15-7 record in those games.

The challenge gives the Spartans the chance to represent the league on a magnified national stage. But, with it being such a big game against a top-tier opponent, there’s no extra motivation needed for the Spartans.

“Just in general, with our season and our high expectations, with their rank and that they are a good team — without it being an ACC/Big Ten Challenge — it would be a big game that we would be hyped for,” junior guard Brittney Thomas said.

This will be MSU’s second game against a top-five opponent this season. The Spartans fell 68-67 to then-No. 5 Notre Dame two weeks ago. But a big factor in MSU’s success will continue to be senior center Allyssa DeHaan. Against the Fighting Irish, DeHaan showed the aggression the team needs from her, finishing with 20 points and eight rebounds. In the team’s double-overtime slugfest with Oklahoma State on Saturday, DeHaan again was a huge factor, notching 23 points, nine rebounds and eight blocks.

“I’m trying to take what I had in the Bahamas back here,” DeHaan said. “When I step on (the court), I just have to flip the switch and be a mean person. I can’t worry about what other people think because we have a job to get done.”

The Tar Heels come into Breslin at 5-0 but are coming off a closer-than-expected 76-67 win against Charleston Southern, a game in which Charleston Southern knocked down 17 3-pointers.

Guard Cetera DeGraffenreid leads North Carolina with 15 points per game, while forward Laura Broomfield is averaging a double-double with 10.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

“They play a lot of different ways and they do a lot of different things,” Merchant said. “Here’s where we have to prove we can handle that style of play.”

Thomas said the Spartans are going to have to stop North Carolina’s penetrating ability, the team’s offensive strength.

“We’re going to dare them to shoot outside and cross our fingers and contest it, and hopefully it will be a lower percentage than if they’re taking pull-up (jumpers) in the lane,” Thomas said.

After falling against Notre Dame in their first big game of the season, the Spartans are out to get a key win, Thomas said.