By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina’s expected matchup with Ohio State in a CBS Sports Classic with an altered field was officially announced on Thursday.
The 12th edition event will be held at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Dec. 20, with St. John’s replacing UCLA in the field. The Red Storm, featuring sophomore UNC transfer Ian Jackson, will face Kentucky in the second game after the UNC-Ohio State contest, with both games airing on CBS.
Freshman Carolina forward Caleb Wilson will get an early-season chance to play in his hometown of Atlanta.
Ohio State and UNC have also met 16 times, with the Tar Heels leading 13–3. North Carolina has won each of the three previous matchups in the CBS Sports Classic against the Buckeyes, including an 89–84 overtime win in the teams’ most recent meeting in 2022 in Madison Square Garden.
With a 7–4 record, the Tar Heels have the best record in the event. Ohio State is 6–4 and Kentucky is 5–6. UCLA went 3–7.
The opener of the doubleheader will feature Coach Rick Pitino against one of his former schools, Kentucky, coached by one of his former players, Mark Pope.
“Obviously, Kentucky was Camelot for me, I’ve said it many times,” Pitino said. “So now to play against The captain [Pope], who made so many special moments for me and the team, in a battle that CBS is putting on is quite special. I will remember it for a long, long time.”
State Farm Arena will serve as host for the event for the second time in three years, having last hosted the event in 2023.
The event has been held at the United Center in Chicago (2014, 2018), Barclays Center in Brooklyn (2015), T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (2016, 2019, 2021), Smoothie King Center in New Orleans (2017), Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland (2020) and Madison Square Garden in New York (2022, 2024).
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 |
| 1 | Sophomore | Zayden High | 4 | 6–9 | 225 |
| Junior | Jaydon Young | 2 | 6–4 | 205 | |
| 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)
Dec. 20 — CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta against 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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