The 2026-27 North Carolina Basketball Schedule is set with a full slate of non-conference and ACC games. North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball opens with a strong home stretch at the Smith Center and features high-profile matchups against Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Duke.
The north carolina basketball schedule includes early road tests and multiple home dates against quality conference opponents. Tip times remain TBA for most contests.
Here is the complete North Carolina Basketball Schedule for 2026-27.
2026-27 North Carolina Tar Heels Men’s Basketball Schedule
North Carolina Basketball Schedule 2026-27
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preseason | ||||
| Friday | vs Southern CaliforniaFirst Horizon Coliseum, Greensboro, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Sunday | vs IndianaGainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN | Time TBA ET | ||
| Tuesday | vs CharlotteSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Regular Season | ||||
| Monday | vs Western CarolinaSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Friday | vs WoffordSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Tuesday | vs WyomingSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Friday | vs GeorgiaSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Friday | vs MarshallSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Monday | vs MonmouthSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Dick Vitale Invitational | ||||
| Friday | vs West VirginiaSpectrum Center, Charlotte, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| ACC/SEC Challenge | ||||
| Tuesday | vs ArkansasSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Sunday | vs ButlerSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | at GeorgetownCapital One Arena, Washington, DC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Tobacco Road Classic | ||||
| Tuesday | vs NC StateFirst Horizon Coliseum, Greensboro, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| CBS Sports Classic | ||||
| Saturday | vs KentuckyMadison Square Garden, New York, NY | 2:30pm ETCBS | ||
| Monday | vs The CitadelSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| ACC | ||||
| Wednesday | vs CalSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | at Boston CollegeConte Forum, Chestnut Hill, MA | Time TBA ET | ||
| Tuesday | at LouisvilleKFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | vs NC StateSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Wednesday | at Florida StateDonald L. Tucker Center, Tallahassee, FL | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | vs StanfordSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Tuesday | vs VirginiaSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | at SyracuseJMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY | Time TBA ET | ||
| Tuesday | vs SMUSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Nashville Hoops Showdown | ||||
| Saturday | vs IllinoisBridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN | Time TBA ET | ||
| Tuesday | at Notre DamePurcell Pavilion, South Bend, IN | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | vs Georgia TechSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Monday | vs LouisvilleSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | at DukeCameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | at Wake ForestLJVM Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Monday | vs MiamiSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | at Virginia TechCassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, VA | Time TBA ET | ||
| Tuesday | at PittsburghPetersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA | Time TBA ET | ||
| Saturday | vs DukeSmith Center, Chapel Hill, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
| ACC Tournament | ||||
| Tuesday | vs ACC TournamentFirst Horizon Coliseum, Greensboro, NC | Time TBA ET | ||
Western Carolina, Wofford and the Early Home Stretch
North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball opens the regular season with a long home stretch at the Smith Center. The early games on the North Carolina Basketball Schedule include Western Carolina, Wofford, Wyoming, Georgia, Marshall and Monmouth.
That stretch gives north carolina basketball multiple opportunities to build chemistry in front of the home crowd. High-profile non-conference games follow, including the Dick Vitale Invitational against West Virginia, a home date against Arkansas, Butler at home, a road trip to Georgetown, the Tobacco Road Classic against NC State, and the CBS Sports Classic against Kentucky at Madison Square Garden.
This portion of the North Carolina basketball men’s schedule mixes winnable home games with nationally televised tests.
Cal, NC State and the Start of ACC Play
ACC play on the North Carolina Basketball Men’s Schedule begins with a home game against Cal on Dec. 30. Key home dates include NC State, Stanford, Virginia, SMU, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami and Duke.
Tough road tests come at Boston College, Louisville, Florida State, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh. The north carolina tar heels men’s basketball team faces a demanding balance of home and road conference games.
The two matchups with Duke remain the emotional centerpiece of the conference slate for north carolina basketball.
Duke Twice and the Biggest Dates
The North Carolina Basketball Men’s Schedule features Duke twice. The Tar Heels visit Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 13 and host Duke on March 6 at the Smith Center.
Those games, along with Kentucky at Madison Square Garden and the neutral-site meeting with Illinois, stand out as major national dates. Overall, the North Carolina Basketball Schedule balances an accessible non-conference portion with a competitive ACC schedule.
Fans following north carolina basketball can expect tip times and television assignments to be updated as the season approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the North Carolina Basketball Schedule begin?
North Carolina opens the regular season Monday, Nov. 2 against Western Carolina at the Smith Center.
When is North Carolina vs Duke?
North Carolina visits Duke on Saturday, Feb. 13 and hosts Duke on Saturday, March 6.
Does North Carolina play Kentucky?
Yes. North Carolina faces Kentucky on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Madison Square Garden in the CBS Sports Classic.
Are tip times available yet?
Most tip times remain TBA and will be announced closer to the season.
Where can I find the full schedule?
The complete North Carolina Basketball Schedule for 2026-27 appears above.
