A look at the North Carolina-Wisconsin Sweet 16 game

NO. 4 NORTH CAROLINA VS. NO. 1 WISCONSIN

■ SITE: Staples Center, Los Angeles

■ TV: 4:47 p.m., TBS (7)

■ LINE: Wisconsin -6; total 124

■ STORYLINE: Wisconsin traditionally is known for defense under coach Bo Ryan, but this year’s Badgers are equally adept on the offensive end. They have scored at least 70 points in seven straight games and likely will need another strong offensive effort today. The Badgers are two wins from returning to the Final Four, while the Tar Heels have reached the Elite Eight six times since 2005.

North Carolina and Wisconsin last met in the NCAA Tournament in 2005, when the Tar Heels topped the Badgers in the Elite Eight en route to winning the national title. This group of Tar Heels is led by junior guard Marcus Paige, who scored 20 of his 22 points during the second half in Saturday’s 87-78 victory over Arkansas. The Badgers might have the national player of the year in center Frank Kaminsky, who is averaging 18.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks, although the senior has plenty of help on both ends of the court.

■ ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (26-11): The Tar Heels probably won’t have burly forward Kennedy Meeks (knee) today, putting pressure on forwards Brice Johnson and Justin Jackson to stay out of foul trouble against Kaminsky and Co. “I can’t think of another (center) who gets out there and shoots 3s like Frank does,” said North Carolina coach Roy Williams, whose team has held both NCAA Tournament opponents below 40 percent shooting. Paige is 10 of 21 from 3-point range in his last three games, and swingman J.P. Tokoto has 19 assists and three turnovers over the same span.

■ ABOUT WISCONSIN (33-3): “These guys definitely have had the kind of season where they’ve earned every inch of this,” Ryan said after his team’s round of 32 victory over Oregon. Sam Dekker had 17 points against the Ducks and has shot at least 50 percent in four of his last five games while making seven 3-pointers over the last two games. Also, the Badgers will get back point guard Traevon Jackson, who has been sidelined since breaking his right foot Jan. 11. He was averaging 9.4 points before the injury.

■ TIP-INS:

1. After shooting 15-of-19 in the final two games of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Johnson is 4-of-15 during the NCAA Tournament.

2. Williams is one win from passing his mentor, Dean Smith, for the second-most NCAA Tournament victories. The North Carolina legends are tied with 65 wins, 18 behind Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.

3. Kaminsky had shot at least 50 percent from the field in nine straight games prior to a 6-for-13 performance against Oregon.

■ PREDICTION: North Carolina 74, Wisconsin 71