GREENVILLE, S.C. (Interstat) — A surging VCU team riding a seven-game winning streak will face a North Carolina squad looking to rediscover its form when the Rams and Tar Heels meet in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball playoff game Thursday at the Bi-Lo Center.

The No. 11-seed Rams (27-7) enter as one of the nation’s hottest teams, having not lost since Feb. 20. Their last outing was a 70-62 win over Dayton on Sunday, powered by a double-double from sophomore guard Nyk Lewis, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Lewis has been a key catalyst during the streak, averaging 10.1 points over the last eight contests.

They will face a No. 6-seed North Carolina (24-8) team that has dropped two of its last three, including a heartbreaking 80-79 loss to Clemson on March 12. The Tar Heels’ offense runs through sophomore forward Henri Veesaar, who is coming off a career-high 28-point performance in that defeat. Veesaar has averaged 18.3 points over his last six games, providing a consistent scoring threat.

The matchup pits VCU’s momentum against North Carolina’s pedigree and talent advantage. The Rams have relied on balanced scoring and defensive tenacity, with Lewis, Michael Belle and Tyrell Ward all contributing significantly in their conference tournament run. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, will look to Veesaar and backcourt mates Derek Dixon and Seth Trimble to jumpstart an offense that managed only 61 points in a loss at Duke on March 7.

North Carolina has been installed as a 2.5-point pregame favorite. The over/under is set at 154 points.

The game marks the first meeting between the programs since 2013. The winner will advance to the second round of the tournament on Saturday.