UNC Basketball Agrees to Battle Versus In-State Opponent in December

The first piece of offseason scheduling news for the UNC basketball program surfaced when it was reported that the Tar Heels would host Central Arkansas on Nov. 3, the season opener for both squads. And another non-conference contests has been revealed for the Tar Heels' 2025-26 schedule.

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UNC basketball will welcome the in-state East Carolina Pirates to the Dean E. Smith Center as part of the non-conference slate for the fifth season of the Hubert Davis era in Chapel Hill.

Scheduling News:

North Carolina will host East Carolina on Monday December 22nd as part of its 2025-26 non-conference schedule.

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Located roughly 100 miles apart, the two programs will face off for the fourth time in the series history. The last matchup was during the 2014-15 season, as the Tar Heels remained undefeated against the Pirates by cruising to a 108-64 home victory.

East Carolina finished 19-14 this past season, earning a No. 6 seed in the American Athletic Conference Tournament. Their schedule included a number of other in-state schools, including North Carolina A&T and UNC Wilmington.

The two teams will reportedly square off on December 22, with a tipoff time to be announced at a later date.

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