N.C. State (4-0) and Michigan (7-0) will kick off the ACC/Big 10 Challenge tonight at the RBC Center at 7 p.m.

It will only be the Wolfpack and the Wolverines’ second game against a team with a winning record this season.

With the exception of Wofford, who defeated Cincinnati and currently holds a 4-2 record, State’s other three opponents’ combined record is 4-11.

The Wolverines’ schedule has been much of the same — only one opponent with a winning record and six teams with a losing record. Their opponents’ combined record stands at 14-24.

But nearly a month into the season, both teams have yet to lose.

First-year coach Sidney Lowe doesn’t want to approach the game much differently than the previous four games. He said he wants the team to continue to focus on its own game and not worry about the other team as much.

“It’s going to be another tough ball game for us, just like these games have been,” Lowe said.

“We have to really compete against ourselves. We know they are a good ball club, but we’re going to try to concentrate on us and execute our offense and play the defense we want to play.”

The game will also be Lowe’s first nationally televised game as it will run on ESPN2.

However, Lowe said he hopes his team won’t play differently because it’s nationally televised.

“You go out and you play the game,” Lowe said. “You don’t play it because it’s on television. You play the game and you go out to play the right way — hopefully we’ll do that. Hopefully it wouldn’t matter that we’re on national television.”

In the previous two times out in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge, the Pack won two years ago at home against Purdue and last season they lost 45-42 to Iowa in a defensive battle.

After the game Friday night, junior forward Gavin Grant said he was excited about getting an opportunity to play Michigan in a nationally televised game.

“It’s our first actual televised game, so the nation gets to see us,” Grant said. “We want to make North Carolina State look good.”

He also said it can help make the ACC look better — especially for a conference that has been losing to teams of lesser quality, according to Grant. He said it gives the team an opportunity to show where it stands in the conference.

“Everybody picked us to be last in the ACC,” Grant said.

“I guess it’s what you guys see, it’s your opinion. But, I’ve seen a couple teams that don’t look as good as we do — we haven’t played anyone that people think is up to caliber yet, so I think the Michigan game will be a good game for us.”

With two home games after many students left for Thanksgiving break, sophomore forward Ben McCauley said having the students back will help bring up the intensity a good bit.

He also acknowledged the importance of the team’s past four games in preparation for the Pack’s game tonight.

“We just know they are going to be a tough ball club,” McCauley said. “I think having these four games here will really be beneficial for us — now we have the kinks out, just getting used to the new system. I think we’re ready to go for Monday.”