UNC men’s basketball nonconference schedule is set. Here’s who Tar Heels play
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- UNC schedules 9 home games, including Nov. 7 Kansas showdown in Chapel Hill
- Neutral games feature Michigan State, Ohio State in national TV matchups
- Tar Heels enter 2025 season with No. 7 recruiting class and 1 five-star signee
North Carolina released its nonconference schedule on Friday, a slate that gives the Tar Heels plenty of home court opportunities.
Entering UNC head coach Hubert Davis’ fifth year at the helm, the Carolina schedule features nine games at the Dean Smith Center, three 2025 NCAA Tournament teams and a quartet of Power Four opponents.
The Tar Heels open the season on Nov. 3 against Central Arkansas and immediately follow that with the biggest game in Chapel Hill. UNC welcomes Kansas to the Dean Dome on Nov. 7.
The Jayhawks were a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, narrowly falling to Texas Tech in an overtime thriller in the Sweet 16. Kansas, led by coach Bill Self, ranks No. 15 in the 247Sports composite rankings for its incoming class, adding one five-star recruit and five four-stars.
This game is the return trip for UNC’s game at Kansas last season, when the Jayhawks won, 92-89, at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Heels have a trio of neutral site games and one true road nonconference game this season. UNC will play St. Bonaventure and Michigan State at the Fort Myers Tip Off in Florida during Thanksgiving week. Michigan State was a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament South Region, advancing to the Elite Eight.
Finally, the Heels face Ohio State on Dec. 20 in Atlanta as part of the annual CBS Sports Classic. Both teams have participated in the event every season since its inception in 2014. Carolina is 2-1 in the last three seasons, with wins over UCLA (2024) and Ohio State (2022). The Heels fell to Kentucky in 2023.
UNC will face Kentucky at Rupp Arena in the ACC-SEC Challenge. The Wildcats advanced to the 2025 Sweet 16, where they fell to Tennessee. The Tar Heels are 1-1 in the ACC-SEC Challenge after beating Tennessee in Year 1 and falling to Alabama last season.
The Tar Heels nonconference slate also includes a handful of local teams. UNC hosts NC Central (Nov. 14) and East Carolina (Dec. 22) in addition to Winston-Salem State (Oct. 29) in a preseason exhibition.
Other home regular-season opponents include Radford, Navy, Georgetown, USC Upstate and East Tennessee State.
UNC’s schedule also includes 18 ACC matchups, with seven at home and seven on the road and a duo of home-and-home series. The Heels host Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pitt, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
Its road-only opponents are Cal, Georgia Tech, Miami, NC State, SMU, Stanford and Virginia.
Carolina will play Duke, its permanent rival, at the Smith Center and Cameron Indoor Stadium. Syracuse is its rotating rival for the 2025-26 season so the Tar Heels meet the Orange at the Smith Center and on the road at JMA Wireless Dome.
The ACC has yet to finalize dates for the league schedule.
The Tar Heels have the No. 7 overall class in the nation, including freshmen recruits and transfers, with one five star and six four stars. It ranks No. 2 in the ACC for incoming players. Henri Veesaar (Arizona) and Jarin Stevenson (Alabama) headline the newcomers.
UNC nonconference basketball schedule
| Date | Team |
| Nov. 3 | Central Arkansas |
| Nov. 7 | Kansas |
| Nov. 11 | Radford |
| Nov. 14 | NC Central |
| Nov. 18 | Navy |
| Nov. 25 | St. Bonaventure* |
| Nov. 27 | Michigan State* |
| Dec. 2 | @ Kentucky^ |
| Dec. 7 | Georgetown |
| Dec. 13 | USC Upstate |
| Dec. 16 | East Tennessee State |
| Dec. 20 | Ohio State# |
| Dec. 22 | East Carolina |
* — Fort Myers Tip-Off, Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Florida
^ — ACC-SEC Challenge, Rupp Arena
# — CBS Sports Classic, State Farm Arena, Atlanta
This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM with the headline "UNC men’s basketball nonconference schedule is set. Here’s who Tar Heels play."
