By R.L. Bynum
As North Carolina’s men’s basketball schedule continues to trickle in, it isn’t shaping up so far as the overwhelmingly demanding schedule the Tar Heels faced last season.
Eight of the Tar Heels’ 11 non-conference opponents are known (see list at bottom), several of which were reported by the Made For March blog. Only three of those are against power conference teams, and only two of those made the NCAA tournament. A fourth power conference opponent will come in the ACC/SEC Challenge, and a fifth is possible in the second Fort Myers Tip-Off game.
This season, Carolina played 10 games against teams in the final AP Top 25 poll released Tuesday, including No. 1 and national champion Florida, No. 3 Duke (3 games), No. 4 Auburn, No. 6 Alabama, No. 7 Michigan State, No. 18 Ole Miss, No. 21 Louisville and No. 22 Clemson, in addition to an exhibition game against No. 25 Memphis.
The toughest matchups so far are the Nov. 14 home game against Kansas (21–13 last season; 24th in KenPom) — which UNC lost to at Lawrence, Kansas, last season — a Thanksgiving Day game at the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida against Michigan State (30–7, 7th) and a likely CBS Sports Classic matchup with Ohio State (17–15, 37th). Those three are the only known opponents that finished higher than 151 in the KenPom rankings this season.
At No. 7, Michigan State is the only known non-conference opponent in the final AP poll, though it’s likely that the ACC/SEC Challenge opponent made that poll since seven SEC teams are in the final ranking.
UNC opens the season at home on Nov. 3 in the program’s first meeting with Central Arkansas, which ended up 9–24 with a 349 KenPom ranking.
On Nov. 11, the Tar Heels host Radford, which finished 20–13 with a 151 KenPom rank. After the Kansas game, Carolina faces Navy (15–19, 276) at home on Nov. 18 before the Thanksgiving Day game against Michigan State.
The Tar Heels’ ACC/SEC Challenge game will likely be Dec. 2 or Dec. 3, and figures to be a road game since they played at home in the first two seasons. The CBS Sports Classic will likely be played on Dec. 20 against Ohio State, but the date and location haven’t been announced.
The only other known non-conference opponents are USC Upstate and East Carolina, both visiting the Smith Center in December. USC Upstate, 6–26 last season and 340th in KenPom, visits on Dec. 13. East Carolina, 19–14 with a 176 KenPom ranking, plays UNC on Dec. 22.
Carolina has one more nonconference scheduling slot. If the CBS Sports Classic isn’t in the New York City area, Coach Hubert Davis’ preference for playing there at least once each season suggests he’ll schedule a game in that area.
The rest of the Fort Myers Tip-Off field has yet to be announced, and that could lead to another game against a power conference team.
Potential UNC roster
(Next season’s classes listed)
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman | Caleb Wilson (5 star) | 4 | 6–9 | 205 | |
| Freshman | Isaiah Denis (4 star) | CG | 6–5 | 175 | |
| Freshman | Derek Dixon (4 star) | CG | 6-3 | 190 | |
| Sophomore | Jonathan Powell | G | 6-6 | 191 | |
| 2 | Sophomore | James Brown | 5 | 6–8 | 225 |
| 9 | Sophomore | Drake Powell | 2 | 6–6 | 195 |
| RS junior | Henri Veesaar | 5 | 7–0 | 235 | |
| Junior | Kyan Evans | 1 | 6–2 | 175 | |
| Junior | Jarin Stevenson | 4 | 6–11 | 215 | |
| 22 | Senior | Ven-Allen Lubin | 4 | 6–8 | 230 |
| 7 | Senior | Seth Trimble | 2 | 6–3 | 195 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 15 | Sophomore | John Holbrook | 4 | 6–8 | 23p |
| 14 | Junior | Russell Hawkins | 2 | 6–1 | 175 |
| 6 | RS Senior | Elijah Davis | 2 | 6–4 | 197 |
UNC players entering portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliot Cadeau | Junior | PG | 6–1 | 180 | Michigan |
| Jalen Washington | Senior | C | 6–10 | 235 | Vanderbilt |
| Ian Jackson | Sophomore | G | 6–4 | 190 | Uncommitted |
| Cade Tyson | Senior | F | 6–7 | 200 | Uncommitted |
UNC schedule so far
Nov. 3 — vs. Central Arkansas (finished 9–24, 349th in KenPom; first meeting)
Nov. 11 — vs. Radford (20–13, 151st; UNC leads series 3–0)
Nov. 14 — vs. Kansas (21–13; 24th; lost to Arkansas in first round of NCAA tournament; series tied at 6)
Nov. 17 or 18 — vs. Navy (15–19, 276th; Navy leads 14–6)
Nov. 27 — vs. Michigan State (30–7; 7th; lost to Auburn in Elite Eight; UNC leads 13–4) in Fort Myers Tip-Off
Nov. 28 or 29 — Second Fort Myers Tip-Off game (opponent TBA)
Likely Dec. 2 or 3 — ACC/SEC Challenge game (opponent TBA; likely a road game)
Dec. 13 — USC Upstate (6–26, 340th; first meeting)
Likely Dec. 20 — Likely CBS Sports Classic matchup with Ohio State (17–15; 37th; UNC leads 13–3)
Dec. 22 — vs. East Carolina (19–14; 176th; UNC leads 4–0)
Photo via @UNC_Basketball
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