UNC, Illinois set non-conference showdown

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ basketball program has been busy wrapping up its 2026-27 season. It will be the first for new head coach Michael Malone, as he took over for Hubert Davis this offseason.

Earlier on Thursday, it was reported that UNC and NC State would meet in a non-conference matchup in Greensboro. Now, shortly after that, another game was added to the schedule.

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UNC and Illinois announced a non-conference showdown for January as they will meet at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The two teams will meet on January 30th, 2027:

The upcoming meeting will be the first time the two programs face off since 2010. They have played a total of eight times before, with each team winning four games in the series.

The biggest game of the series, however, went to the Tar Heels as they defeated Illinois in the 2005 National Championship Game.

While UNC is ushering in the Malone era, the Fighting Illini are fresh off a trip to the 2026 Final Four. They are expected to be a top-five team once the season opens up and one of the favorites in the Big Ten.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball to face Illinois in Nashville

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/unc-illinois-set-non-conference-165114151.html

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Publish date : 2026-06-25 16:51:00

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