CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — A spot in the ACC tournament semifinals and perhaps more will be on the line Thursday when the seed North Carolina Tar Heels face the seed Clemson Tigers in a quarterfinal matchup at the Spectrum Center.

North Carolina (24-7), which earned a double-bye, enters after closing the regular season with a 76-61 loss at rival Duke last Saturday. The Tar Heels will look to rediscover their defensive form after allowing Duke to shoot 50% from the field. Guard Derek Dixon, a player to watch, led UNC with 17 points in that defeat.

Clemson (23-9) advanced with a 71-62 victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday. The Tigers have won two straight since a three-game skid in late February. Guard Efrem Johnson, coming off an 8-point, 3-assist effort against Wake Forest, will be a key catalyst. He scored 15 points in Clemson’s last meeting with UNC.

That meeting was just over a week ago, on March 3 in Chapel Hill, where the Tar Heels held off the Tigers 67-63. North Carolina’s defense limited Clemson to 38% shooting in that contest, a blueprint they will aim to replicate.

The stakes extend beyond the conference tournament. Both teams are projected to make the NCAA field, but a deep run in Charlotte could improve seeding. North Carolina will rely on its experience and balance, while Clemson seeks to leverage its momentum from the opening round and avenge its recent narrow loss to the Tar Heels.

The winner will advance to face either seed Duke or seed Syracuse in Friday’s semifinals.

Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 7 p.m. EDT following the conclusion of the earlier quarterfinal. The game will be televised on ESPN.