An important stretch in North Carolina’s basketball season has arrived, as the Tar Heels play four of their next six contests on the road that could end up as Quad 1 games beginning Tuesday night at Wake Forest.

Carolina also goes to Pittsburgh, Duke, and Clemson during the stretch, and the direction of the season could be determined, or greatly impacted, by what transpires over the next few weeks.

In Winston-Salem, the Tar Heels look to end a three-game skid at Joel Coliseum, losses that have been by a combined 46 points. And the Heels face a Demon Deacons team that has won five consecutive games and seven of their last eight. Wake is 14-4 overall and 6-1 in the ACC. The Deacs’ only losses have been away from Winston-Salem against Clemson, Texas A&M, Florida, and Xavier.

The Tar Heels lost 72-71 at home to Stanford on Saturday dropping to 12-7 overall and 5-2 in the ACC. Four of their next six games are on the road against some of the ACC’s top teams.

The game tips at 9 PM and will air on ESPN.