Few programs in men’s college basketball are as historically well-traveled as UNC. Throughout their more-than-century on the hardwood, the Tar Heels have traveled the length and breadth of the country, from a cozy community center in Hickory to the cavernous Ford Field in Detroit.
There are other odd confines which are on record as having hosted Carolina at least once: UNC played five games in Elon’s West Dormitory in the 1910s, visited Textile Hall in Greenville, S.C. in the 1950s (it has since been demolished) and even dropped in to West Point.
All in all, UNC has played at least one game in 40 out of the 50 states in the union, including both Alaska and Hawai’i. The Tar Heels have also gone international, playing games in Tokyo and Osaka in Japan in 1985. Take a look at the map of the states below:
This map shows all 40 states in which the UNC men’s basketball program has played at least one regular-season or postseason game. Exhibitions are not counted.
Before I devise a plan in which the Tar Heels can fully fill out this map, I’d like to give the backstories on how Carolina made the trip to some of the more unlikely of the 40 shaded states.
Alaska
College basketball fans of a certain age look back fondly at one of the most unique holiday tournaments in history: the Great Alaska Shootout. The shootout routinely brought major programs from across the country up to Anchorage to play over the Thanksgiving break. UNC was undefeated in three appearances at the event, winning in 19810, 1985 and 1997 to finish with a perfect 9-0 record in our country’s northernmost state. Sadly, the men’s Great Alaska Shootout was discontinued in 2017, though a women’s tournament continues to be played.
Nebraska
Though the Diamond Heels are no stranger to playing “somewhere in middle America,” the Hardwood Heels (?) have only made one visit to Omaha. That came all the way back in December 1960, during head coach Frank McGuire’s last season in charge. No. 5 UNC visited Creighton as part of a midwestern road trip which also included games at Kansas and Kansas State. The Tar Heels closed out the trip with a flourish, beating the Bluejays 72-64.
New Hampshire
Believe it or not, UNC played a true road game at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire (population: 8,520) in December 1998. No.7 Carolina was never in any real danger that day, but the 82-68 victory left head coach Bill Guthridge unmoved.
“I feel we’re overrated,” Guthridge said afterward. “I think we’re maybe in the top 30-40 teams.”
Even so, Dartmouth head coach Dave Faucher was more than impressed by the Tar Heels: “They were just huge,” he said.
Oklahoma
In December 1982, the defending national champion Tar Heels traveled to Oklahoma for the Oil Capital Classic. UNC was a heavy favorite to win the event, but were upset in the first round by hosts Tulsa and head coach Nolan Richardson of future Arkansas fame. The Golden Hurricane scored 52 second-half points to erase a Carolina lead on its way to an 84-74 win.
Said head coach Dean Smith after the game, “Maybe we should’ve gone to the delay when it was 47-42.”
That brings us to the 10 states UNC hasn’t yet traveled to. I’ll go state-by-state to look for the best possible way for the Tar Heels to complete their American travelogue.
Maine
There’s only one Division 1 men’s basketball program in the state of Maine, and that’s the University of Maine Black Bears in Orono. The Black Bears have never appeared in the NCAA Tournament and play in a gym which seats 5,800 people, so it’s unlikely the Tar Heels would be interested in playing a road game there. But what if Portland, Maine’s biggest city, decided to host a multi-team event featuring east coast schools? UConn would be an easy get, and Boston College or Providence could participate as well. Why not the Tar Heels? Let’s get something in writing.
Vermont
Like Maine, Vermont has only one Division 1 program. But this one actually has some punch: the Vermont Catamounts have represented the America East Conference in the NCAA Tournament eight times since 2010 and 11 times since 2003. Since the America East Tournament is played at home sites, the championship game being played in Vermont’s Patrick Gym is a staple of conference tournament season. Who wouldn’t want to see a big-time program like UNC visit Burlington? The Vermont fans would be fired up, and there are far worse teams to schedule in the non-conference portion of the season.
Patrick Gym on the campus of the University of Vermont. (Image via Vermont Athletics)
Delaware
An interesting story about the First State: it’s the rare state where the women’s program has played, but the men’s program has not. Head coach Sylvia Hatchell’s Tar Heels traveled to Newark, DE for the 2013 NCAA Tournament, despite being the highest seed in their four-team grouping. No. 3 Carolina won its first-round game, but then lost to No. 6 seed and pod host Delaware (featuring future WNBA superstar Elena Delle Donne) 78-69 in the second round.
It’s unlikely the men’s team will ever play an NCAA Tournament game in Delaware. Its most likely course of action is to play either at Delaware or Delaware State, in Dover. Wilmington, the state’s largest city, does have a small arena which hosts the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. Perhaps UNC could play a “neutral-site” game there against a school from Philadelphia.
New Mexico
Once upon a time, “The Pit” on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque was an NCAA Tournament staple. Several memorable games were played there, most notably the 1983 NCAA Final Four featuring Jim Valvano, Lorenzo Charles and NC State’s “Cardiac Pack.” But March Madness hasn’t come back to the Land of Enchantment since 2012, and The Pit isn’t included on the list of future non-Final Four host sites, which goes through 2028.
But what if UNC played a home-and-home series with New Mexico? The Lobos would surely be thrilled to bring their team to the Dean Dome, and their fan base would pack The Pit for the Tar Heels’ visit out west. The game in Albuquerque would certainly help UNC’s NET rating, as the Lobos are one of the top programs in the Mountain West. Make it happen!
Minnesota
It’s hard to believe, but UNC has never played a game in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Minneapolis has hosted the NCAA Final Four before: 1951, 1992, 2001 and 2019. The Tar Heels appeared to be well on their way up north in 2019, but a run-in with red-hot Auburn in the Sweet 16 (and a poorly timed bout with an illness in the locker room) spoiled that chance. And the Minnesota Golden Gophers were never ranked highly enough within the Big Ten to draw the Tar Heels in the now-defunct ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
There’s one very reasonable path out of this conundrum: Minneapolis will host a first- and second-round pod of the NCAA Tournament in 2027. And while it’s true UNC would almost certainly prefer to go to Charlotte, which also hosts a pod that spring, let’s focus on the travelogue here. The people need Minneapolis.
North Dakota
Here’s where things get a little hairy. There’s no good reason for UNC to ever travel to North Dakota. Alabama made headlines last season when it played a true road game at the University of North Dakota, but that was to ensure North Dakota native Grant Nelson would be able to play another game in his home state. Roy Williams also had a knack for doing this as head coach at UNC. Unless Carolina somehow is able to snag a recruit from North Dakota, it’s hard to imagine the Tar Heels playing there. Maybe someday.
South Dakota
Again, hard to envision this playing out without a South Dakotan suiting up for UNC. The Summit League Tournament is played annually in Sioux Falls, so maybe Carolina decides to downsize if/when it bolts from the ACC? A guy can dream.
A home-and-home with South Dakota State could be fun. SDSU has a good program, and I’d really be excited to hear Jones Angell say “Jackrabbits” on the radio.
Wyoming
Like New Mexico, Wyoming is a solid program in the Mountain West that could present an intriguing home-and-home series for the Tar Heels. The Arena-Auditorium in Laramie is an old-school barn of a basketball arena, and the Tar Heels playing there would be a sight to behold. At the very least, a road game against the Cowboys would be better for the NET than, say, a home game against Central Arkansas.
The Arena-Auditorium on the campus of the University of Wyoming in Laramie. (Image via Wyoming Athletics)
Montana
Big Sky country! Montana is home to some very proud FCS football programs, but don’t underestimate the basketball there. Montana and Montana State have combined to win six of the last seven Big Sky Tournament titles. Can you imagine the atmosphere if UNC ever visited Missoula or Bozeman? It’d be off the charts. Not that it’d ever happen, but a guy can dream.
Idaho
This one is actually simpler than you might think. Boise has hosted NCAA Tournament games as recently as 2018, and the city was slated to do so again in 2021 before the COVID pandemic forced all games to move to the Indianapolis area. Interestingly enough, every city that was in line to host tournament games in 2020 or 2021 has either since hosted or is scheduled to host in the future… except for Boise.
Should March Madness ever return to the high desert of Idaho, western teams would more likely be sent to the Boise pod. But it’s not out of the question that the Tar Heels could find themselves in the Gem State, and it’s certainly more likely than any other state in the Big Sky region. Only time will tell.
Featured image via Associated Press/Brandon Dill
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