UNC basketball has dates for most of its 31 games on the 2025-26 schedule.
The ACC has yet to determine when the Tar Heels will play six of their 18 conference games, with two-date options that will be announced at a later time. Following a season in which UNC snuck into the NCAA Tournament as a First Four participant, head coach Hubert Davis is aware of the pressure and expectation surrounding the Tar Heels in his fifth season as leader of the program.
Advertisement
RJ Davis exhausted his eligibility, Drake Powell is on to the NBA and three other key contributors — Ian Jackson (St. John’s), Elliot Cadeau (Michigan) and Ven-Allen Lubin (N.C. State) — hit the transfer portal for opportunities elsewhere.
KEY STATS FOR TAR HEELS: The stats UNC basketball has to improve with Hubert Davis’ rebuilt roster for Tar Heels
CALEB CONNECTION: Henri Veesaar reveals what Caleb Love said about UNC basketball
UNDER PRESSURE: UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis addresses ‘pressure and expectation’ entering 2025-26 season
With those departures, senior guard Seth Trimble will be surrounded by 11 newcomers, including a three-player recruiting class headlined by five-star prospect Caleb Wilson and a transfer portal group led by Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar. UNC also added international prospect Luka Bogavac to the mix.
Advertisement
Breaking down the Tar Heels’ 2025-26 schedule, here’s a look at the most important stretch, toughest ACC stretch and underrated stretch of games on the slate.
UNC basketball game vs Kansas tips off important stretch on schedule
As Hubert Davis enters what sets up as a make-or-break season, it’s imperative for UNC to gain confidence with a strong start in the early portion of the schedule. Last season, the Tar Heels had a 1-6 record in nonconference play against Power 4 competition. Close, could-have-had-it losses won’t cut it this year, starting with a big-time opportunity against Kansas on Nov. 7 at the Smith Center. It’ll be the Jayhawks’ first time playing the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill and UNC’s first grand chance to tip off an important stretch from Nov. 7 through Dec. 20 with positive momentum.
Because of how it could set up the rest of the season, UNC’s game vs. Kansas is arguably the most important matchup on the schedule and it leads into the team’s most important stretch. It’s the first of five nonconference games against Power 4 opponents. The Tar Heels then play Michigan State in Florida on Nov. 27 before traveling to Kentucky on Dec. 2. The notable stretch of nonconference games concludes with Georgetown on Dec. 7 in Chapel Hill before facing Ohio State on Dec. 20 in Atlanta. At the very least, UNC would be wise to win three of those five matchups. Like last season, the Tar Heels’ performance in those games will be talking points leading up to Selection Sunday and the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Advertisement
Tar Heels’ trip to California starts sneaky stretch on 2025-26 schedule
The final two-plus weeks of January could be a sneaky, underrated stretch for UNC. Following a home game on Jan. 10 against Wake Forest, the Tar Heels hit the road for four of their next five games from Jan. 13-31. It’s a stretch that starts with a West Coast swing in California at Stanford (Jan. 13/14) and Cal (Jan. 17). UNC, which hasn’t played at the Golden Bears’ home arena since 1972 inside Harmon Gym, will be making its debut at Haas Pavilion.
Following a home game against Notre Dame on Jan. 20/21, the Tar Heels conclude a tiring task with road games at Virginia (Jan. 24) and Georgia Tech (Jan. 31). Sure, UNC has a week of rest between those two games, but those aren’t easy road trips. The Tar Heels have lost eight of their last nine games at Virginia, which should be much improved with first-year coach Ryan Odom. UNC has also lost three of its last five games in Atlanta, including a one-point loss to the Yellow Jackets in 2024. After losing five of their last four games in January last season, UNC put itself squarely on the bubble. The Heels need a stronger finish to start 2026.
UNC’s toughest stretch on ACC schedule includes trips to NC State, Duke
The final six games on UNC’s regular-season schedule include three teams receiving a lot of preseason buzz as projected top-25 squads. N.C. State is promising a “red reckoning” in its debut season under Will Wade, Louisville is a popular Final Four pick and Duke is, well, Duke is Duke. For the first time since 1919, UNC won’t play the Wolfpack in Chapel Hill, meaning the only game this season against N.C. State is in Raleigh on Feb. 17/18.
Advertisement
The rivalry matchup tips off the final stretch for the Tar Heels, who play at Syracuse (Feb. 21) before returning home to play Louisville (Feb. 23), Virginia Tech (Feb. 28) and Clemson (March 3/4). UNC closes the regular season at Duke. Last season, the Tar Heels lost to Clemson, Louisville and Duke, dropping three games against the Blue Devils. With the ACC struggling in recent seasons, UNC has to play better in its games against the good teams in the league.
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball’s important, sneaky, toughest games on 2025-26 schedule
