By R.L. Bynum
Watching the much-anticipated exhibition battle of two of the top freshmen in the country — UNC’s Caleb Wilson and BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa — on Friday at 9 p.m. ET may be a challenge for some Tar Heels fans.
You won’t be able to flip to a channel on TV to watch. You’ll have to stream it on ESPN+, just as with the football game in September at Charlotte. Dave McCann, Blaine Fowler and Jarom Jordan will be on the call of the telecast.
What is ESPN+?
ESPN+ is a premium streaming service that offers live sports, original shows, and on-demand content. It’s distinct from ESPN3 and the streams available through the ESPN app, which are typically included with cable, satellite or YouTube TV subscriptions. Those services often provide access to many UNC games, especially through ACC Network Extra.
How do you get ESPN+?
There are two available subscriptions:
- ESPN Select Plan, which is $12 per month or $120 per year (rounded off by a penny). This is the rebranded ESPN+ and gives you access to ESPN+ content but not the ESPN TV channels.
- ESPN Unlimited Plan, which is $30 per month or $300 per year (again, rounded off by a penny). This includes ESPN’s linear channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPN on ABC), plus ESPN+, ESPN3, and the “+” versions of SEC and ACC networks.
You can bundle the Unlimited Plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $30/month for the first year.
If you already subscribe to Hulu + Live TV, Fubo TV, Spectrum or DirecTV streaming, you may already have ESPN Unlimited built in. DirecTV satellite customers are expected to gain access later this year.
How do you watch the game?
- ESPN app on your phone, tablet or smart TV
- Web browser — Log in to espn3.com.
- Streaming devices — Download the ESPN app via Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or your device’s app store.
- Casting/HDMI — Use Chromecast, AirPlay or an HDMI cable to send it from your laptop or mobile device to your TV.
To summarize: You’ll likely need a subscription and probably will have to juggle the technology a bit.
If you can’t fly to Utah or figure out how to stream it, you can listen to the Tar Heel Sports Network broadcast of the game with Jones Angell on the call and Tyler Zeller as the analyst.
If all this sounds like a lot of trouble to watch an exhibition game, you’re right. But the good news is that no regular-season men’s games will be on ESPN+
Subscribe to read Tar Heel Tribune ad-free
Subscribe for a cleaner, smoother reading experience without the flashing banners, slow-loading elements, or those especially annoying pop‑up ads that interrupt the flow of the story. You’ll also get the first version of each story emailed to you. The only ads you’ll see are static, non-intrusive ads for UNC‑related books, and there are none currently on the site.
| No./ Stars | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 star | Freshman | Maximo Adams | SF | 6–7 | 205 |
| 3 star | Freshman | Malloy Smith | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 5 star | Freshman | Sayon Keita | C | 7–0 | 215 |
| 4 star | Freshman | Kevin Thomas | W | 6–7 | 190 |
| Sophomore | Cade Bennerman — U | C | 7–0 | 205 | |
| Sophomore | Neoklis Avdalas — W | G | 6–9 | 215 | |
| Sophomore | Isaiah Denis | G | 6–4 | 180 | |
| Sophomore | Matt Able — X | G | 6–5 | 196 | |
| Junior | Alexandros Samodurov | C | 6–11 | 212 | |
| 1 | Senior | Terrence Brown — Y | G | 6–3 | 174 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson | F | 6–10 | 215 |
| Graduate | Angelo Brizzi — Z | G | 6–3 | 193 | |
| Graduate | Cameron Fens — V | C | 7–0 | 255 | |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 25 | Junior | John Holbrook — SA | F | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | G | 6–1 | 195 |
V — South Dakota transfer; U — Northwestern transfer; W — Virginia Tech transfer; X — N.C. State transfer; Y — Utah transfer; Z — Buffalo transfer; SA — Holbrook is a designated student-athlete, so he doesn’t count against UNC’s 15-player limit.
Michael Malone’s coaching staff: Chuck Martin, Bryan Tibaldi, Sean May, Jorge Sanz, and Pat Sullivan; Deon Thompson will be a graduate assistant, and Brandon Robinson will reportedly have a support staff position.
Players who entered transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Bogavac | Senior | W | 6–6 | 215 | Oklahoma State |
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 | Howard |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 | Arizona |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 | Minnesota |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 | South Florida |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 | Pittsburgh |
| Ivan Matlekovic | Junior | C | 7–0 | 255 | Pacific |
| Seth Trimble | Graduate | G | 6–3 | 200 | Louisville |
Schedule revealed so far
| Date | Month/day | Opponent/event (final ranks) |
|---|---|---|
| October | ||
| 9 | 7 p.m. Friday | vs. USC in Greensboro (exhibition) |
| 18 | Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis (exhibition) |
| November | ||
| 2 | Monday | vs. Western Carolina |
| 6 | Friday | vs. Wofford |
| 10 | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming |
| 13 | Friday | vs. Georgia |
| 20 | Friday | vs. Marshall |
| 27 | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte |
| December | ||
| 1 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 13 Arkansas |
| 6 | Sunday | vs. Butler |
| 12 | Saturday | at Georgetown |
| 15 | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro |
| 19 | 2:30 Saturday | CBS Sports Classic vs. Kentucky in New York |
| 21 | Monday | vs. The Citadel |
| January | ||
| 30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 5 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. |
ACC games
Home and away: Duke and Louisville
Home only: California, Georgia Tech, Miami, N.C. State, SMU, Stanford and Virginia
Away only: Boston College, Florida State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest
Photo via @BYUMBB
