UNC hasn’t played this team in men’s basketball before.<\/p>\n
College football season is here, but before you know it, college basketball season will also be here. In Chapel Hill, the North Carolina Tar Heels<\/a> are eager to prove themselves as an ACC contender once again.<\/p>\n UNC snuck into this year’s NCAA Tournament as the field’s final team, much to the dismay of high-profile analysts<\/a>. North Carolina quickly proved they belong, stomping San Diego State 95-68, but recurring issues arose during a Round of 64 loss to Ole Miss.<\/p>\n Speaking of the Big Dance, let’s take a quick look at Joe Lunardi’s latest 2026 bracketology<\/a>. The Tar Heels are projected to land the East Region’s 6-seed, facing automatic qualifier VCU in the Round of 64.<\/p>\n If this matchup were to occur, it’d be the first-ever between UNC and the Rams. VCU has a long history of postseason success, reaching the 2011 Final Four under Shaka Smart \u2013 and most recently an 80-71 loss to BYU in March.<\/p>\n On paper, the 2025-2026 North Carolina roster is one of its deepest in years. Star guard Seth Trimble<\/a> is returning for his senior campaign, giving a new-look team a much-needed familiar face. The Tar Heels added Top-10 recruit Caleb Wilson, a starting point guard in Kyan Evans, wing help in Luka Bogavac and plenty of height, highlighted by 7-footer Henri Veesaar<\/a>.<\/p>\n UNC’s first game will be an October 24 exhibition at BYU<\/a>, which landed former UNC target AJ Dybantsa, the class of 2025’s top-ranked recruit. North Carolina will face several tough opponents in non-conference play, including Kansas (November 7), Michigan State<\/a> (Nov. 27), Kentucky<\/a> (December 2), Georgetown (Dec. 7) and Ohio State<\/a> (Dec. 20).<\/p>\n Where will the Tar Heels land after their regular season concludes? Let’s hope for another National Championship, which UNC desperately needs to turn itself back into a feared program.<\/p>\n Follow us\u00a0@TarHeelsWire<\/a>\u00a0on X and like our page on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina\u00a0Tar Heels<\/a>\u00a0news, notes and opinions.<\/p>\n