The draw for the eight-team Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas has been revealed, and Tar Heel fans will note some familiar opponents among the field.

Carolina will face Northern Iowa in the opening game of the tournament on November 22. UNC last faced the Panthers during the 2017-18 season and took a decisive 86-69 win in Chapel Hill. But Northern Iowa has experience beating the Tar Heels, having upset No. 1 Carolina early in the 2015-16 season.

The winner of the opener will face either Villanova or Texas Tech in the tournament semifinals the next day. Carolina’s most recent meetings with both schools came in the NCAA Tournament; the Tar Heels last saw the Wildcats in the 2016 national championship, and last faced the Red Raiders in the 1996 round of 32. Both resulted in UNC losses, though Carolina holds a winning record against both programs since 1950.

The other side of the bracket features Michigan, Memphis, Arkansas and Stanford. Should the Tar Heels face the Wolverines during the tournament, it would be the sixth meeting in the last seven seasons (UNC holds a 3-2 advantage over that span). The Tar Heels haven’t seen the Razorbacks since the 2017 PK80 tournament, when Carolina defeated Arkansas to advance to the championship round.

Stanford would be a personal matchup for multiple reasons; both Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram were a part of the Cardinal program before coming to Chapel Hill, and Stanford head coach Jerod Haase was a longtime assistant coach for Roy Williams at both Kansas and UNC. Haase was on the bench for both the 2005 and 2009 national championships. Memphis is the only team in the field Carolina has never played in men’s basketball.

UNC has played in the Battle 4 Atlantis two previous times but has yet to win the event. The Tar Heels finished in fifth place in 2014 and third place in 2019. The 2023 edition of the tournament is scheduled for November 22-24 on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

 

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 biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Report: UNC Basketball to Play in 2023 Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament
According to multiple sources, the UNC men’s basketball team will be going to Paradise for the holidays next year. Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today is reporting the Tar Heels are scheduled to take part in the 2023 Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament in the Bahamas, which will be played over Thanksgiving weekend at the Atlantis […]
UNC Locker Room Reactions: Kansas
UNC beat No. 19 Kansas 87-74 at the Smith Center Friday night. Check out what the Tar Heels had to say about the big win: Seth Trimble On snapping UNC’s losing streak vs. Kansas: This game meant so much for us. The history with Kansas and UNC obviously runs so deep. We haven’t beat Kansas in […]
UNC Men's Basketball Rides Dominant 2nd Half to Emphatic Win vs. No. 19 Kansas
Carolina dominated No. 19 Kansas in the second half en route an 87-74 win at the Dean Smith Center Friday night. The win is UNC’s first against the Jayhawks since 2002 and snaps a five-game losing streak against them. HEELS WIN.#CarolinaFamily | @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/Ja5jJheSjx — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) November 8, 2025 “I wanted this new […]
Chansky's Notebook: Blue Bloods
Art Chansky previews tonight's marquee matchup between blue bloods UNC and Kansas at the Dean Smith Center.
UNC Men's Basketball vs. Kansas (2025): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
Carolina will play its first marquee game of the 2025-26 season Friday night when it hosts No. 19 Kansas in Chapel Hill. The game will mark the Jayhawks’ first-ever visit to the Dean Smith Center. If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping […]
Chansky's Notebook: Who, What, Where?
UNC got the 2025-26 season off to a good start, but the junior-laden rotation will be a challenge for Hubert Davis and staff.
UNC Men's Basketball Cruises Past Central Arkansas in Season Opener
Caleb Wilson scored 22 points – the most by a UNC freshman in his first regular-season game since Cole Anthony in 2019 – and four other Tar Heels reached double figures in a 94-54 win against Central Arkansas in the regular season opener at the Dean Smith Center Monday night. HEELS WIN.#CarolinaFamily | @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/waruAStRMn […]
UNC Men's Basketball vs. Central Arkansas (2025): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
Carolina will open the regular season Monday night when it hosts Central Arkansas at the Smith Center. The Tar Heels have not dropped a season opener since the 2001-02 season. If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping to listen on the radio […]
Observations from UNC Men's Basketball's Exhibition Win vs. Winston-Salem State
UNC defeated Winston-Salem State 95-53 in its final exhibition of the preseason at the Dean Smith Center Wednesday night. Here are some observations and takeaways from the Tar Heels’ performance: A slow start leads to a dominant second half Carolina appeared ready to run away early by taking an 18-5 lead, bur Winston-Salem State cut […]
Chansky's Notebook: Free Luka!
With what has happened to the rule of law in this country, UNC clearing Luka Bogavac to play immediately should be a no-brainer.
›