Basketball is back in Chapel Hill, and North Carolina women’s basketball will get its first live look at the 2026-27 group on Sunday when Davidson comes to Carmichael Arena for the Tar Heels’ lone home exhibition. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET, and it’s one of two preseason tune-ups for UNC.
This will be the first of two exhibition games for North Carolina, and the only one in front of its home crowd. The Tar Heels and Wildcats last met in a regular-season game in Chapel Hill in 2023, and UNC owns the all-time series 5-0.
The Tar Heels are entering year eight under Courtney Banghart after back-to-back Sweet 16 runs, giving the program three in the last five seasons. Carolina is one of 10 teams nationally to reach the last two Regional Semifinals, and one of 13 to get there three times in the last five years.
Eight Tar Heels are back from last season’s team, led by Ciera Toomey, who returns as the top scorer and rebounder after averaging 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. UNC also added plenty of new pieces, bringing in four Power 4 transfers and two freshmen with major buzz. Those transfers have combined for 167 starts and 315 games played.
The numbers from last season tell the story of where Carolina is trying to build from. The Tar Heels won 14 ACC games, tying for the second most in program history and marking their best league total since 2012-13. They also set a single-season program record with 295 made three-pointers and led the ACC by shooting 35.1% from deep.
There’s more on the schedule right away, too. Carolina opens the regular season with two Power 4 opponents on neutral courts, facing Oklahoma and South Carolina. It’s the first time since 1988-89 that the Tar Heels will start with two power conference foes.
Sunday’s exhibition is free and open to the public, with no ticket required to enter Carmichael Arena. Cobb Deck parking is available for general and ADA parking at $10 and includes a shuttle to the arena, while all other lots are first come, first serve. The game will not be televised, but it can be heard on the Tar Heel Sports Network and WCHL 97.9/1360.
In Other News...
Tar Heels Beat Duke But That Second Half Will Spark Debate
North Carolina built a commanding 17-0 lead over Duke with a blocked punt and a pair of touchdown passes, and for a while it looked like the Tar Heels were in complete control. The early formula was exactly what this rivalry can turn on, with special teams creating an immediate edge and the passing game cashing in on the extra chances.
Dukes second-half response, though, is the part that will linger. The Blue Devils kept chipping away with field goals and a touchdown, while turnovers and special teams mistakes kept swinging the momentum around and made the final stretch feel a lot less comfortable than the opening quarter suggested. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Just Gave UNC A Huge Rivalry Week Problem
Duke enters rivalry week with one of its most important offensive pieces suddenly in question. Running back Nate Sheppard is listed as a game-time decision ahead of the matchup with North Carolina, a wrinkle that matters because he leads the Blue Devils in both rushing yards and touchdowns and has been central to their ground game.
CJ Campbell Jr. would be next in line if Sheppard cannot go, but Duke would be leaning on a back with less production and less experience. For North Carolina, the uncertainty adds another layer to a matchup that already carries plenty of emotion, because the Tar Heels now have to prepare for a Duke offense that may look very different once kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Heads To Duke With The Victory Bell Suddenly In Reach
UNC heads to Wallace Wade Stadium with a rare bit of momentum in a rivalry that usually gets every bit of the spotlight it deserves. Bill Belichicks Tar Heels just picked up their first ranked victory under his watch, and now the stakes shift from a breakthrough win to a game that could put the Victory Bell back within reach while also nudging Carolina closer to bowl eligibility.
Duke will have plenty to say about that, of course, and this meeting brings its own questions about how both teams will handle the moment. Rivalry games have a way of stripping away whatever certainty was built the week before, and for UNC the challenge is as much about sustaining belief as it is about the prize itself, with the bell and the broader season goals both hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]