UNC basketball vs Michigan State is a Wojcik showdown in March Madness

CHARLOTTE — It’ll be Wojcik vs. Wojcik on Saturday at Spectrum Center. 

When top-seeded UNC basketball (28-7) and ninth-seeded Michigan State (20-14) meet this weekend (5:30 p.m., CBS), Tar Heels’ guard Paxson Wojcik will be on one bench and his father, Spartans assistant coach Doug Wojcik, will be on the other. 

The winner of the father-son matchup in March Madness secures a spot in the Sweet 16 and heads to Los Angeles for the West Regional, with a chance to advance to the Final Four in Phoenix. 

Surrounded by cameras and phones Friday afternoon on opposite ends of Spectrum Center, Paxson Wojcik was asked about Doug Wojcik and Doug Wojick was asked about Paxson Wojcik.

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“It’s an obvious storyline and it is pretty cool,” said Paxson, who had a 3-pointer and two rebounds in UNC’s 90-62 win against Wagner on Thursday. 

“I kind of expected it and media people always look for something in March. It’s great to find a cool story like that, so I definitely appreciate that.” 

Doug was in the stands, across from the Tar Heels’ bench, watching — and scouting — his son and UNC on Thursday.

He's watched the Tar Heels play five games this season, including the ACC Tournament championship loss against NC State. 

“He’s trolling me a little bit right now,” Doug said. “I told him I was gonna put his SKIMS video stuff as part of his individual clips (for the scouting report).” 

Paxson, who averages 8.3 minutes per game, has an NIL (name, image and likeness) deal with SKIMS, Kim Kardashian’s clothing company, which was announced ahead of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Neither would divulge the details of their back-and-forth texts, but the banter has been all in good fun ahead of the game. The duo met last season, with Michigan State earning a 68-50 win against Brown. Paxson had 10 points and 13 rebounds in that loss.

“It’s gotta be a weird position for him to be in — trying to have a serious face on when he’s scouting — but also be watching your son,” Paxson said. 

They both, Paxson added, try to look at the “bigger picture” ahead of a battle between a pair of programs that are almost always in the spotlight this time of year. 

“It’ll be really cool in pregame and leading up to the game — and after the game, years from now, talking about — but once that ball’s tipped, it’s just another ballgame,” Paxson said. 

“He’s on his sideline, I’m on mine and we’re just trying to win.” 

Doug, an assistant for the Tar Heels from 2000-03, was hoping the Spartans and Tar Heels would meet in the second weekend of the tournament. When asked about the situation, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo looked at the win-win scenario for the Wojciks. 

“He's going to L.A. either way,” Izzo said of Doug. “Either with me or with Pax. So, I guess that's the positive side of it for him.” 

No matter the outcome, Doug is grateful for the opportunity to share the stage with his son. They both want to end the other’s season, but this will be a memory that each will cherish for the rest of their lives. 

“I think what’s really cool is we’re a basketball family, so we’ve had so many memories through the years,” Doug said. 

“It’s almost like the topping. It’s the topping and exciting to be able to end it on a big stage. We’re playing each other. What a journey for him, what a journey for me, what a journey for our family.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached atrbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.