By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina’s men’s basketball non-conference opponents, except one, are known after the announcement Wednesday that the Tar Heels will face St. Bonaventure in the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Nov. 25, in addition to the previously announced Nov. 27 game, Thanksgiving Day, in the event against Michigan State.
A fourth team will be added to the Fort Myers field in the coming weeks. It will be the second all-time meeting with the Bonnies, who UNC beat 91–72 in the 1968 NCAA tournament. They went 21–11 last season and lost to Kent State in the first round of the NIT.
Led by Coach Mark Schmidt, who will enter his 19th season with the program, St. Bonaventure has been one of the most consistent programs in the Atlantic 10. The Bonnies have won 324 games in Schmidt’s 18 seasons, reached the 20-wins mark in three of the last four seasons and advanced to postseason play five times in the last nine seasons (not including the COVID season).
Started in 2018, the Fort Myers Tip-Off has regularly attracted top programs, including Gonzaga, Kansas, Auburn, 2025 national champion Florida, Ohio State, Marquette, Wisconsin, Virginia and Michigan.
Ten of 11 non-conference opponents are known (see list at bottom), several of which were reported by the Made For March blog. Jeff Goodman reported this week that they will face N.C. Central at home.
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.
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 — the matchup 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 is likely to be played on either Dec. 2 or Dec. 3, and it is expected to be a road game, given that they played at home in the first two seasons. The CBS Sports Classic is expected to be played on Dec. 20 against Ohio State, but the date and location have not been announced.
The only other known non-conference opponents are USC Upstate and East Carolina, both visiting the Smith Center in December, and N.C. Central at home. 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.
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 | 3 | 6–6 | 195 |
| 1 | Sophomore | Zayden High | 4 | 6–9 | 225 |
| 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 | 230 |
| 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 | St. John’s |
| Cade Tyson | Senior | F | 6–7 | 200 | Uncommitted |
| Ven-Allen Lubin | Senior | C | 6–8 | 230 | Likely to return |
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. 25 — vs. St. Bonaventure (21–11; 97th; lost to Kent State in first round of the NIT; UNC leads 1–0) in Fort Myers Tip-Off
Nov. 27 — vs. Michigan State (30–7; 7th; lost to Auburn in Elite Eight; UNC leads 13–4) in Fort Myers Tip-Off
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)
Date TBA — vs. N.C. Central (10–19; 319th; UNC leads 3–0)
Photo via @UNC_Basketball
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