CHAPEL HILL — There's little doubt that North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough will set the school record for career points Thursday night. After all, he needs only nine to pass Phil Ford, currently atop the list at 2,290, and the senior has only posted six single-digit games in his career.

But how will he do it?

Shooting guard Wayne Ellington figures it will occur on a layup. Forward Danny Green predicts a three-point play.

As of 9 a.m. this morning, tickets were still available for North Carolina's Thursday night game against Evansville, when forward Tyler Hansbrough is expected to break Phil Ford's school record for scoring, which has stood for three decades.

Hansbrough needs only nine points to break the mark, and Ford, now a Charlotte Bobcats assistant coach, will be in attendance. 

To buy tickets, go to tarheelblue.com. 

Charlotte Bobcats assistant coach Phil Ford will attend North Carolina's game against Evansville, when Tyler Hansbrough is expected to break his three-decades old scoring record, Ford told The Charlotte Observer on Monday evening.

Hansbrough needs nine points to set the new scoring mark; Ford scored 2,290 points from 1974-78.

Ford has said it's an honor to be compared to Hansbrough, a UNC senior forward. 

DETROIT — The top-ranked Tar Heels appeared to wear out No. 13 Michigan State during their 98-63 victory on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, UNC's still-energetic players didn't just run off the court after the game, they sprinted their way up a concrete ramp to their locker room.

"I told the guys if they played their tails off, I'd race them up that ramp,'' coach Roy Williams said. "And I did beat three guys -- none of them are playing right now ... but those are the only guys I beat."

More notes:

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he does not know whether forward Tyler Hansbrough will play against No. 13 Michigan State in Detroit on Wednesday night. The senior has missed four games this season because of a stress reaction in his right shin, then a “tweaked” left ankle.

Other notes:

CHAPEL HILL — Tyler Hansbrough did not play in the Tar Heel's 116-48 blowout over UNC-Asheville on Sunday because his left ankle — which he tweaked in his season debut, at Santa Barbara on Nov. 21 — stiffened up on the plane ride home from Maui.

It marked the fourth game of the season he was sidelined because of the ankle and/or a stress reaction in his right shin.

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough will not play against UNC Asheville tonight because of precautionary reasons, a team spokesman said.

Hansbrough has missed three of the top-ranked Tar Heels' first six games while resting a stress reaction in his right shin.

Forwards Tyler Hansbrough and Deon Thompson, and video coordinator Eric Hoots, did plenty to help North Carolina win the Maui Invitational earlier this week. But their biggest assist came on the plane ride home.

Their flight was about to take off from Maui, just after 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening, when Hoots realized that a passenger sitting behind him, in row 25, was in distress.

“He was already sleeping, and then he just started sweating,’’ Hoots said. “One of his family members started shaking him, and he wouldn’t wake up.”

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Top ranked North Carolina planned to eat Thanksgiving dinner and perhaps enjoy a little beach time and cliff diving before flying back to Chapel Hill later today, the Maui
Invitational title in tow.

Some final thoughts after watching the Tar Heels throttle No. 8 Notre Dame 102-87 in the finale:

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Forward Tyler Hansbrough will play in the championship game of the Maui Invitational against No. 8 Notre Dame tonight. It will mark his second straight game back, and third overall, since sitting out more than three weeks with a stress reaction in his right shin, then a "tweaked" left ankle.