University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: UNC Athletic Communications
Tar Heels Announce Non-Conference Men's Basketball Schedule
August 20, 2026 | Men's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A non-conference game in Greensboro against longtime ACC rival NC State, a return to Madison Square Garden to play Kentucky and three other matchups against teams that played in the NCAA Tournament a year ago highlight the University of North Carolina's 2026-27 non-conference men's basketball schedule.
First-year head coach Michael Malone's UNC debut will be against Southern California in a preseason contest on Friday, October 9, in Greensboro's First Horizon Coliseum (formerly the Greensboro Coliseum).
The Tar Heels' regular-season opener vs. Western Carolina is November 2 in the Dean E. Smith Center. That game follows two other pre-season games (October 18 vs. Indiana in Indianapolis and October 27 at home vs. Charlotte).
The Charlotte and WCU games are among the 10 non-conference games scheduled in Chapel Hill this season, along with Wofford (Nov. 6), Wyoming (Nov. 10), Georgia (Nov. 13), Marshall (Nov. 20), Monmouth (Nov. 23), Arkansas (Dec. 1 in the ACC-SEC Challenge), Butler (Dec. 6) and The Citadel (Dec. 21)
Carolina will also play regular-season non-conference contests in Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Greensboro, New York and Nashville.
Those include November 27 vs. West Virginia in Charlotte in the Dick Vitale Invitational, December 12 at Georgetown, December 15 vs. NC State in Greensboro in the Tobacco Road Classic presented by Old Dominion Freight Line, December 19 vs. Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden and January 30 vs. Illinois in the Nashville Hoops Showdown.
The Atlantic Coast Conference will announce the conference schedule later.
The priority deadline for ordering season tickets is Wednesday, September 2. Single-game ticket information will be available once the ACC releases the conference schedule.
Rams Club members will receive an email with specific instructions and offerings for all neutral-site events.
Preseason Games
Oct 9 vs. Southern California in Greensboro, N.C.
Oct 18 vs. Indiana in Indianapolis, Ind.
Oct 27 vs. Charlotte
Regular-Season Games
Nov 2 vs. Western Carolina
Nov 6 vs. Wofford
Nov 10 vs. Wyoming
Nov 13 vs. Georgia
Nov 20 vs. Marshall
Nov 23 vs. Monmouth
Nov 27 vs. West Virginia in Charlotte (Dick Vitale Invitational)
Dec 1 vs. Arkansas (ACC-SEC Challenge)
Dec 6 vs. Butler
Dec 12 at Georgetown
Dec 15 vs. NC State in Greensboro, N.C. (Tobacco Road Classic presented by Old Dominion Freight Line)
Dec 19 vs. Kentucky in New York City (CBS Sports Classic)
Dec 21 vs. The Citadel
Jan. 30 vs. Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. (Nashville Hoops Showdown)
First-year head coach Michael Malone's UNC debut will be against Southern California in a preseason contest on Friday, October 9, in Greensboro's First Horizon Coliseum (formerly the Greensboro Coliseum).
The Tar Heels' regular-season opener vs. Western Carolina is November 2 in the Dean E. Smith Center. That game follows two other pre-season games (October 18 vs. Indiana in Indianapolis and October 27 at home vs. Charlotte).
The Charlotte and WCU games are among the 10 non-conference games scheduled in Chapel Hill this season, along with Wofford (Nov. 6), Wyoming (Nov. 10), Georgia (Nov. 13), Marshall (Nov. 20), Monmouth (Nov. 23), Arkansas (Dec. 1 in the ACC-SEC Challenge), Butler (Dec. 6) and The Citadel (Dec. 21)
Carolina will also play regular-season non-conference contests in Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Greensboro, New York and Nashville.
Those include November 27 vs. West Virginia in Charlotte in the Dick Vitale Invitational, December 12 at Georgetown, December 15 vs. NC State in Greensboro in the Tobacco Road Classic presented by Old Dominion Freight Line, December 19 vs. Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden and January 30 vs. Illinois in the Nashville Hoops Showdown.
The Atlantic Coast Conference will announce the conference schedule later.
The priority deadline for ordering season tickets is Wednesday, September 2. Single-game ticket information will be available once the ACC releases the conference schedule.
Rams Club members will receive an email with specific instructions and offerings for all neutral-site events.
Preseason Games
Oct 9 vs. Southern California in Greensboro, N.C.
Oct 18 vs. Indiana in Indianapolis, Ind.
Oct 27 vs. Charlotte
Regular-Season Games
Nov 2 vs. Western Carolina
Nov 6 vs. Wofford
Nov 10 vs. Wyoming
Nov 13 vs. Georgia
Nov 20 vs. Marshall
Nov 23 vs. Monmouth
Nov 27 vs. West Virginia in Charlotte (Dick Vitale Invitational)
Dec 1 vs. Arkansas (ACC-SEC Challenge)
Dec 6 vs. Butler
Dec 12 at Georgetown
Dec 15 vs. NC State in Greensboro, N.C. (Tobacco Road Classic presented by Old Dominion Freight Line)
Dec 19 vs. Kentucky in New York City (CBS Sports Classic)
Dec 21 vs. The Citadel
Jan. 30 vs. Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. (Nashville Hoops Showdown)
Non-conference schedule is set 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/2IHQK7XHnC
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) August 20, 2026
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