The schedule news for Carolina Basketball continues as the program found out they will be facing off against Kentucky in the annual CBS Sports Classic. This news followed the announcement that Carolina would face defending national champion UConn in the Jimmy V Classic after returning from their trip to the Battle 4 Atlantis. When you add this to Carolina’s matchup with Oklahoma in the Jumpman Invitational, and hosting Tennessee in the first-ever ACC/SEC Challenge, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a tougher non-conference schedule than what Hubert Davis is putting together for his team.
The CBS Sports Classic turns 10 years old, and it’s an event that has treated Carolina fairly well, as the Tar Heels are 6-3 in the event. Last year, Carolina beat Ohio State in overtime, as the event was held in Madison Square Garden for the first time ever.
Early reporting would’ve led you to believe that Carolina would be matched up against UCLA in this year’s event, seeing as they haven’t played each other in the event since 2019. Since then, the two programs have met in the Sweet 16, a UNC win on their way to the 2022 Final Four. Given that the event is being held in Atlanta this year, the powers that be would rather see the two southern college basketball giants square off, in the made-for-TV event.
Over the years, Carolina and Kentucky have played in some instant classics in the event, but the last time the two teams saw each other, Kentucky routed Carolina 98-69, in a game that wasn’t even that close. Across the history of the rivalry, the Tar Heels are 25-17 against their fellow blue blood, although the last time they saw each other on campus was back in 2014.
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