The North Carolina men’s basketball team, 5-2 on the season, looks to recover from a 60-55 loss to Iowa when the Tar Heels welcome a 4-4 East Carolina squad to the Smith Center Sunday for a 3 p.m. tipoff.

It will be a homecoming of sorts for fifth-year ECU head coach Jeff Lebo, who played at UNC from 1985-1989 and is second in Carolina history in career three-point accuracy.

Paige shoots a jumper (Todd Melet)

Paige shoots a jumper (Todd Melet)

UNC sophomore forward Kennedy Meeks has five double-digit rebounding games already this season. To put  that in perspective, Meeks recorded five total in his entire freshman year campaign.

UNC junior guard Marcus Paige will attempt to extend his 20-game streak of knocking down at least one three-point field goal.

Bu the main thing Carolina head coach Roy Williams will be watching out for is his team’s ability to make the easy shots around the basket. The Tar Heels squandered a bundle of short-range opportunities around the rim in their ACC-Big Ten Challenge defeat Wednesday against the Hawkeyes.

The Pirates, meanwhile, will be searching for their first win over the Tar Heels, trailing the all-time series 3-0.

Fans are encouraged to bring toys for the Toys for Tots collection outside the Smith Center. The toy drive benefits needy Orange County children who would otherwise go without any gifts this Christmas.