UNC published its full non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season Thursday. Though several games on the schedule had already been confirmed earlier, Thursday marked the first time the full list of games had been unveiled.

Carolina will start with three exhibition games: the first against USC in Greensboro on Oct. 9, the second against Indiana in Indianapolis on Oct. 18 and the third against Charlotte in the Smith Center on Oct. 27. The official beginning of the regular season comes Monday, Nov. 2 in the Smith Center as the Tar Heels will host in-state foes Western Carolina. It will be the first meeting between the Tar Heels and Catamounts in men’s basketball since 2017 and just the third overall.

Carolina will play several key neutral-site games. The Tar Heels will face West Virginia in Charlotte as part of the Dick Vitale Invitational (Nov. 27), NC State in Greensboro as part of the inaugural Tobacco Road Classic (Dec. 15), Kentucky in New York in another installment of the CBS Sports Classic (Dec. 19) and Illinois in Nashville for the Nashville Hoops Showdown (Jan. 30).

In the Smith Center, UNC will welcome in Arkansas in a marquee matchup of the ACC-SEC Challenge the night of Tuesday, Dec. 1. Fellow SEC members Georgia will also visit Chapel Hill Nov. 13 in the first of a home-and-home series with the Bulldogs, while Butler of the Big East will come to Chapel Hill Dec. 6. The Tar Heels will also travel to Georgetown in the second game of a home-and-home series with the Hoyas Dec. 12. Other non-conference fixtures include home dates with Wofford (Nov. 6), Wyoming (Nov. 10), Marshall (Nov. 20), Monmouth (Nov. 23) and The Citadel (Dec. 21).

For a full look at UNC’s non-conference schedule, click here. The ACC portion of the schedule will be released at a later date.

“It’s a very competitive schedule,” said UNC head coach Michael Malone. “I’m not afraid to play people. We’ll play the best teams. I’m looking forward to scheduling those types of games, because we want to put our best foot forward. And we want to compete against the best and give our fans something they can truly get excited about.”

 

Featured image via UNC-Chapel Hill/Jon Gardiner

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 Facing NC State in Non-Conference Matchup at Greensboro Coliseum
UNC will face NC State in a non-conference matchup at Greensboro’s First Horizon Coliseum Tuesday, Dec. 15. The coliseum confirmed the game, dubbed the “Old Dominion Freight Line Tobacco Road Classic,” with an announcement Wednesday. A tip-off time is yet to be announced, and tickets will go on sale Sep. 10 on the coliseum website. […]
Chansky's Notebook: Setting the Expectations
In his first public comments since April, UNC head coach Michael Malone laid out his expectations for Year 1 and beyond in Chapel Hill.
Chansky's Notebook: The Five Stages
Chapelboro's Michael Koh breaks down the stunning news of Seth Trimble's commitment to Louisville via the transfer portal.
Seth Trimble Returns to College Ball Under New Rules; Transferring to Louisville
When Seth Trimble entered the transfer portal after his sophomore season, he tested the waters before ultimately returning to UNC men’s basketball. Fans rejoiced, cheering on the opportunity to see an up-and-coming player keep developing into a star for the Tar Heels. Across the following two seasons, Trimble, the younger brother of former Tar Heel […]
UNC Men's Basketball to Face USC in Preseason Exhibition in Greensboro
The unofficial debut of UNC’s Michael Malone era will come in the Tar Heels’ home away from home. UNC will face USC in a preseason exhibition at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro (better known as the Greensboro Coliseum) Friday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. Though neither program has announced the game, the Coliseum’s website has […]
Granted Extra Year, South Dakota Center Cameron Fens Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Seven-foot center Cameron Fens, who had exhausted his collegiate eligibility until a recent court ruling granted him and other graduating athletes one more season, committed to UNC Friday afternoon. View this post on Instagram Fens, originally from Dubuque, IA, graduated high school in 2022. He began his career with Illinois-Chicago in the Missouri Valley Conference […]
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 […]
UNC Men's Basketball to Face West Virginia in 2026 Dick Vitale Invitational
Another key non-conference date for UNC’s 2026-27 season has been set. The Tar Heels will face West Virginia in the second annual Dick Vitale Invitational, which will be played Friday, Nov. 27 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. A tip-off time will be announced later. See you in Charlotte 📍⤵️ 🔗 https://t.co/ybKYYmj1sS pic.twitter.com/yY3vUw2JKc — Carolina […]
Report: Longtime Gonzaga Assistant Jorge Sanz to Join UNC Men's Basketball Staff
According to a report from Theo Lawson of the Spokane Spokesman-Review, longtime Gonzaga assistant Jorge Sanz is set to join UNC head coach Michael Malone’s staff in Chapel Hill. Longtime Gonzaga assistant/Director of Operations Jorge Sanz is moving on to North Carolina after eight seasons in Spokane, where he was integral to the program's nonconference […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Cost of Business
Carolina has released its salary structure for the 2026-27 men’s basketball season, and right now it has to be a game of wait and see. Mike Malone is making $7.5 million in his first college head coaching season and his new top assistant Chuck Martin is making $500,000. Here is where it gets interesting. The […]
›