UNC finalizes non-conference men’s basketball schedule

By R.L. Bynum

The non-conference schedule for North Carolina’s first season under head coach Hubert Davis was finalized Tuesday, including one road game, three neutral-site games and four opponents expected to be highly ranked.

After an exhibition game against Elizabeth City State on Friday, Nov. 5, the season opens the following Tuesday, Nov. 9, at home against Loyola of Maryland before the Tar Heels welcome Brown to the Smith Center on Friday, Nov. 12.

The exhibition game against Elizabeth City State is the night before UNCs home football game against Wake Forest.

UNC visits College of Charleston on Tuesday, Nov. 16, before playing in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off against Purdue on Saturday, Nov. 20, and either Tennessee or Villanova on Sunday, Nov. 21, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.

Carolina then has two consecutive home games, against UNC Asheville on Tuesday, Nov. 23, Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wednesday, Dec. 1, before opening ACC play the first weekend of December.

After the ACC opener, UNC faces Elon on Saturday, Dec. 11, and Furman on Tuesday, Dec. 14, before meeting UCLA at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, in the CBS Sports Classic at a site to be determined.

The non-conference season concludes on Tuesday, Dec. 21, against Appalachian State.

UNC has played Loyola of Maryland and Brown only once and won: Loyola of Maryland in 1947 in a 64–47 game on the road and Brown 115–63 in 1985 at the Orange Bowl Classic.

Carolina is 5–3 against College of Charleston, winning the most recent meeting last season in Chapel Hill 79–60. The Tar Heels lost in their previous visit to College of Charleston 82–79 in overtime in 2010.

Carolina is 8–2 against Purdue, most recently beating the Boilermakers 90–75 in the 1999 Maui Invitational. UNC has won every meeting after losing the first two in 1969 and 1974.

The Tar Heels are 10–1 against Tennessee, winning the last five meetings, including a 78–73 win in 2017. They are 11–5 against Villanova, and have not met since the Wildcats won 77–74 in the 2016 NCAA championship game in Houston.

UNC has won all eight meetings with UNC Asheville, with a 91–75 2011 road victory coming in the most recent meeting.

The Michigan-UNC series is tied at 4 after the Wolverines won the last two meetings, 84–67 in 2018 in Ann Arbor, Mich., and 73–64 in 2019 in the Bahamas.

Carolina is 20–4 against Elon, most recently beating the Phoenix 75–61 in 2019.

The Tar Heels are 23–2 against Furman but have not played since UNC won 95–65 in Charlotte in 1986.

UNC has won the last five meetings with UCLA and have a 10–3 edge. The Tar Heels won 74–64 in Las Vegas in 2019 in the most-recent meeting.

Appalachian State has lost all six meetings with Carolina, the most recent by a 94–70 Smith Center win in 2015.

UNC’s non-conference schedule

DateDayLocationOpponent
Nov. 5FridayHome exhibitionElizabeth City State
Nov. 9TuesdayHomeLoyola-Maryland
Nov. 12FridayHomeBrown
Nov. 16TuesdayRoadCollege of Charleston
Nov. 20SaturdayUnasville, Conn.Y – Purdue
Nov. 21SundayUnasville, Conn.Y – Tennessee or Villanova
Nov. 23TuesdayHomeUNC Asheville
Dec. 1WednesdayHomeMichigan X
Dec. 11SaturdayHomeElon
Dec. 14TuesdayHomeFurman
Dec. 18Saturday, 3 p.m.Las VegasUCLA
Dec. 21TuesdayHomeAppalachian State
X — ACC/Big Ten Challenge; Y — Hall of Fame Tip-Off; Z — CBS Sports Classic
ACC opponents home and away — Duke, N.C. State, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Louisville at Virginia Tech
ACC opponents home only — Florida State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia
ACC opponents road only — Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame, Wake Forest

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