UNC will host Davidson for a preseason exhibition Oct. 18 at Carmichael Arena, the program announced Wednesday. It will be the only exhibition on the Tar Heels’ 2026-27 schedule. A tip-off time is yet to be announced.

The exhibition will be the last time fans will get a chance to see the Tar Heels in person for nearly a month, as UNC will next take the court against Oklahoma in Paris as part of the “Oui Play” showcase Monday, Nov. 2. After that, UNC travels to Charlotte for the Ally Tipoff against South Carolina Sunday, Nov. 8 before returning home to face North Carolina Central in Chapel Hill Wednesday, Nov. 11.

UNC and Davidson have not met in women’s basketball since the 2023-24 season, when the Tar Heels found themselves trailing inside the final four minutes before eventually defeating the upset-minded Wildcats 74-70. Carolina leads the all-time series 5-0, though the preseason exhibition will not be counted as an official game.

Davidson finished the 2025-26 season with a 21-12 overall record and 12-6 record in the Atlantic 10. The Wildcats routinely challenged power conference foes, taking No. 7 Baylor to overtime and staying competitive in nine-point losses to Mississippi State and NC State. Davidson lost in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament last March, and the Wildcats are still seeking their first ever NCAA Tournament bid. The 2026-27 season will be the 10th for Davidson under the leadership of head coach Gayle Fulks.

This is the second consecutive year UNC will have begun the season with a preseason exhibition. The Tar Heels faced South Carolina in Atlanta last October, but had mostly avoided the practice during head coach Courtney Banghart’s tenure. UNC played Wingate in an exhibition prior to the 2019-20 season (Banghart’s first in Chapel Hill), but had not done so again until the South Carolina game last year.

UNC has announced its full non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season, but has yet to announce the ACC portion of the schedule. To see the non-conference schedule, click here.

 

Featured image UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

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