It’s been known that UNC was going to play UCLA this non-conference season in the CBS Sports Classic, but the date and time were unknown, until today, when it was announced that the Tar Heels will face off against the fellow blue blood program, on December 21st, at Madison Square Garden. This is the third straight season the Tar Heels will play in New York City, something Hubert Davis has made a priority since becoming the head coach at Carolina. UNC beat Ojio State in The Garden in the 2022 CBS Sports Classic, before losing to UConn in the Jimmy V Classic last season.
Carolina is 6-4 in the CBS Sports Classic, the best record of the four teams that make up the event (Kentucky, Ohio State, and UCLA). The game against UCLA will be the final non-conference test against a Power conference opponent. Additionally, UNC will play at Kansas, host Alabama, play Florida on a neutral floor, and compete in the Maui Invitational, which is headlined by the Tar Heels and the two-time defending national champions, the UConn Huskies.
Carolina has yet to release their official non-conference schedule for the 2024-25 season, but their schedule is believed to be complete. With all the high-profile teams on the schedule, the Tar Heels will once again have one of the toughest non-conference schedules in all of college basketball, to prepare themselves for a 20-game ACC slate.
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