The CBS Sports Classic, a marquee event on the college basketball non-conference calendar, has been extended through the 2029-30 season. In addition, the event has also set UNC’s matchups for the next four seasons and added Kansas to replace St. John’s in the four-team field. St. John’s participated in the 2025 event as a replacement for UCLA, which had been a founding member.

With a field of UNC, Kentucky, Kansas and Ohio State, the Tar Heels will face the Wildcats and the Jayhawks will face the Buckeyes in the 2026 CBS Sports Classic, which will be played Dec. 19 in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. UNC will then face Kansas on Dec. 18, 2027, Ohio State on Dec. 16, 2028, and Kentucky again on Dec. 15, 2029. The venues for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 games have not been finalized.

UNC owns an 8-4 record in the CBS Sports Classic, which was first played in December 2014. The Tar Heels defeated Ohio State 71-70 in Atlanta in the most recent iteration of the event. The 2026 meeting with Kentucky will mark the second consecutive season in which the Tar Heels have played the Wildcats, as UNC beat Kentucky in Lexington as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge in December.

Carolina also recently completed a two-game series with the Jayhawks which saw the Tar Heels visit Allen Fieldhouse in 2024 and Kansas visit the Smith Center for the first time ever in 2025. The home team won each game. After the most recent meeting in Chapel Hill, Kansas head coach Bill Self had expressed interest in playing a series with the Tar Heels.

“If you’re gonna play a big time series, why can’t it be Kansas and Carolina?” Self said.

UNC and Kansas have split 14 all-time meetings, with Carolina’s win in November snapping a five-game winning streak for the Jayhawks. The Tar Heels lead the all-time series with Kentucky 26-18 and lead Ohio State 14-3.

Fans interested in attending the CBS Sports Classic can register to receive alerts regarding ticket news and other details by clicking here.

 

Featured image via Todd Melet

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Men's Basketball to Face Ohio State in Atlanta For CBS Sports Classic
Another key non-conference date for UNC next season has been finalized. The Tar Heels will face Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on December 20. A tip-off time will be announced later, though UNC’s game is confirmed to be the first of the day’s doubleheader. Mark your calendars […]
UNC Men's Basketball to Play Kentucky in CBS Sports Classic
Two blue bloods will meet again on the hardwood at the CBS Sports Classic this season. The UNC men’s basketball program confirmed it will face off against Kentucky in the 10th iteration of the annual event. Headed to Atlanta for the CBS Sports Classic! 🔗: https://t.co/i55ECeRyLx pic.twitter.com/idhCWHjwyY — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) August 8, 2023 The […]
UNC Men's Basketball To Face Ohio State in CBS Sports Classic
The Tar Heels will be taking their talents to The World’s Most Famous Arena. The UNC men’s basketball program announced it would play Ohio State as part of the annual CBS Sports Classic this season. The game is scheduled for December 17, and will be played in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Meet […]
International Prospect Sayon Keita Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Sayon Keita, a seven-foot center currently playing with FC Barcelona in Spain, has committed to the UNC men’s basketball program for the 2026-27 season. View this post on Instagram Keita, originally from Bamako, Mali, is currently 18 years old and will arrive in Chapel Hill with multiple years of eligibility. But the belief is he […]
Freshmen, Transfers and More: Every Newcomer Joining UNC Men's Basketball for the 2026-27 Season
As Michael Malone embarks on his first season as the head coach of the UNC men’s basketball program, he’s gotten busy securing the additions of several newcomers to the program. Malone and his staff have mined from traditional high school recruiting and the transfer portal to fill out Carolina’s roster, and that work is continuing […]
Northwestern's Cade Bennerman Announces Commitment to UNC Men's Basketball
Cade Bennerman, who spent his freshman season at Northwestern, announced his commitment to UNC out of the transfer portal Monday. Bennerman, a seven-foot center, arrived at Northwestern as a three-star recruit out of high school who 247 Sports ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee. He was a star at Nashville’s […]
UNC's Henri Veesaar to Declare for NBA Draft
UNC center Henri Veesaar plans to leave Chapel Hill and declare for the NBA Draft. The news came as Veesaar was approaching the deadline to enter his name to the draft process, which is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 24. “This journey didn’t happen alone,” Veesaar said in a statement Friday evening. “To my family […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Arena
Art Chansky wonders aloud whether alumni and fans can afford to support UNC in this ever-changing world of play for play.
Florida Atlantic's Maxim Logue to Transfer to UNC Men's Basketball
UNC added another piece out of the transfer portal Tuesday, as Inside Carolina reported the Tar Heels earned a commitment from Florida Atlantic big man Maxim Logue. Logue will have two years of eligibility remaining. BREAKING: North Carolina has added to its post depth by getting a commitment from Florida Atlantic big man Maxim Logue […]
NC State's Matt Able Commits to UNC Men's Basketball Out of Transfer Portal
The Tar Heels are bringing in a familiar face out of the transfer portal. Matt Able, who spent his freshman season at NC State, announced his commitment to head coach Michael Malone and UNC out of the portal Tuesday. As a rising sophomore, Able will have three years of eligibility remaining. Inside Carolina first reported […]
›