UNC Seeks Statement Win as Kansas Makes Chapel Hill Visit

No. 25 North Carolina (1-0) will take on No. 19 Kansas in a primetime matchup at the Dean Smith Center on Friday at 7 p.m.

The Tar Heels are coming off a dominant 94-54 win over Central Arkansas, while the Jayhawks opened their season with a 94-51 victory against Green Bay. Kansas leads the all-time series 7-6 and has won the last five meetings, including last year’s 92-89 win in Lawrence and a 72-69 victory in the 2022 national championship game in New Orleans.

The two blue blood programs share plenty of history. Dean Smith played at Kansas before coaching North Carolina to two national championships from 1961 to 1997. Another Hall of Famer, Roy Williams, served as head coach at both schools. The programs have met three times in the Final Four and twice in the national championship game.

Here are three things to know about Friday night’s matchup.

First Time for Everything

UNC — Nov 4, 2025 | Freshman Caleb Wilson against Central Arkansas | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Despite having 13 meetings, the two blue blood programs will face each other in Chapel Hill for the first time in the series. However, it is not the first time the teams have met in North Carolina. The Tar Heels won both previous matchups against the Jayhawks in North Carolina: a 60-49 victory in Raleigh on Dec. 11, 1979, and a 74-67 win in Charlotte on Nov. 28, 1981.

Although North Carolina has never hosted Kansas in Chapel Hill, the Jayhawks have hosted the Tar Heels twice, winning the first matchup 78-70 and last season’s meeting 92-89.

Another Matchup Featuring Lottery Picks

After facing AJ Dybantsa and BYU, UNC’s next challenge is slowing Darryn Peterson, the projected No. 1 overall pick by The Athletic, CBS and ESPN. Peterson had 21 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in Kansas’ season-opening win over Green Bay, going 7-for-11 from the field, 3-for-7 from three and 4-for-4 at the line. He also posted 26 points against No. 11 Louisville in an exhibition game.

Carolina’s Caleb Wilson is also a projected lottery pick with potential to rise into the top five. Wilson had 22 points, four rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in his college debut, and put up a double-double (22 points, 10 rebounds) with three blocks and a steal against BYU. While Seth Trimble will guard Peterson most of the night, all eyes will be on these two freshmen.

The First Big Test for Carolina’s Big Men

UNC, UNC Basketall — Henri Veesaar throws down a dunk against Central Arkansas; Nov. 3, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

North Carolina's main concern is frontcourt depth behind Henri Veesaar and Wilson. Zayden High is versatile at 6-10 but lacks true center size and in-game experience, while James Brown, despite gaining bulk, still struggles with physicality and has only one rebound in exhibition play.

Neither has scored a field goal in those games, and High is 0-for-4 from the field in the two games they played against Division I competition.

With those concerns in mind, North Carolina's big men will be put to the test when Kansas comes to town. While the Jayhawks are also not loaded with frontcourt talent due to the size in their backcourt, they do have two big men who excel in both skill and size: Flory Bidunga (6-10, 235) and Bryson Tiller (6-11, 240).

Fory Bidunga — Nov 3, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) shoots against Green Bay Phoenix guard Mac Wrecke (4) during the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Bidunga is a force inside, averaging 1.6 blocks—third in the Big 12—and hitting 69.8 percent from the field last season, both Kansas freshman records. Now starting every game, he made an immediate impact in the opener with a team-high 23 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

In Kansas’ two games against Louisville (exhibition) and Green Bay, Tiller is averaging 9.5 points, six rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes per game. He has shot 8-for-13 from the field and made one of his three shots from beyond the arc. Expect him to play significant minutes as the team’s sixth man.

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