UNC Releases 2016-17 Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

Although it was announced two weeks ago that UNC would play at Indiana during the 2016 ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the rest of the Tar Heels’ non-conference schedule was released Wednesday afternoon.

There are five games scheduled with teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year, as well as three that played in the NIT.

Following an exhibition with UNC-Pembroke at home on Nov. 4, UNC begins its regular season against Tulane in New Orleans on Nov. 11–the first of three games during a five-day span.

Joel Berry is expected to take on a starring role for head coach Roy Williams this season. (Todd Melet)

Without a doubt, though, the highlight of the schedule is a matchup on Dec. 17 with the Kentucky Wildcats in Las Vegas as part of the CBS Sports Classic.

It will be the 38th meeting all-time between the two blue-blood college basketball powerhouses, and 16th since the year 2000.

Head coach Roy Williams is 7-4 against Kentucky during his time in Chapel Hill, but to notch another victory in the series the Tar Heels will have to knock off an extremely talented group of freshmen led by head coach John Calipari.

UNC will also travel to Hawaii for the Maui Jim Maui Invitational–set to be played from Nov. 21-23.

The Tar Heels have won the tournament on three previous occasions–in 1999-00, 2004-05 and 2008-2009–but failed to take home the prize in their last appearance during the 2012-13 season.

Each of the last two times UNC won in Maui, however, resulted in a national championship at the end of the year.

No bracket has been set for the event yet, but the other seven teams participating are as follows: Chaminade (the host school), Connecticut, Georgetown, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning play in the tournament, UNC will pay a visit to the University of Hawaii for a true road game against the Rainbow Warriors on Nov. 18–a team that pulled a stunning upset over No. 4 seed California as a No. 13 seed in last year’s NCAA Tourney.

After the trip to Hawaii is over, the Tar Heels head to Indiana before returning home for games against Radford (Dec. 4), Davidson (Dec. 7) and what could potentially be a second matchup with Tennessee (Dec. 11).

Then following the battle with Kentucky in Vegas, UNC gets a chance to avenge last year’s loss at Northern Iowa when the Panthers make a return trip to Chapel Hill on Dec. 21.

The non-conference portion of the schedule concludes on Dec. 28 against Monmouth and its head coach–former Tar Heel King Rice.

2016-17 CAROLINA BASKETBALL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Nov. 4 vs. UNC Pembroke (exhibition game in Chapel Hill)

Nov. 11 at Tulane (New Orleans, La.)

Nov. 13 vs. Chattanooga (Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Chapel Hill)

Nov. 15 vs. Long Beach State (Chapel Hill)

Nov. 18 at Hawaii (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Nov. 21-23 in Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

Nov. 30 at Indiana (ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Bloomington, Ind.)

Dec. 4 vs. Radford (Chapel Hill)

Dec. 7 vs. Davidson (Chapel Hill)

Dec. 11 vs. Tennessee (Chapel Hill)

Dec. 17 vs. Kentucky (CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas, Nev.)

Dec. 21 vs. Northern Iowa (Chapel Hill)

Dec. 28 vs. Monmouth (Chapel Hill)

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