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Jun. 25—CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois men's basketball team will play again in Nashville, Tenn., next season.
Against a program the Illini fan base probably can't wait to get another crack at.
Illinois and North Carolina will tip off on Jan. 30, 2027 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, part of the Nashville Hoops Showdown. Illinois defeated Tennessee 75-62 last season in Nashville.
It is the first meeting between the Illini and Tar Heels since 2010, and only the ninth all-time between the two programs.
The most memorable matchup between Illinois and North Carolina happened in the 2005 NCAA national championship game. The Tar Heels defeated the Illini 75-70 at the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis in the only appearance by Illinois in the national championship game. The game is long remembered by Illinois fans for Sean May scoring a game-high 26 points and Illini big man James Augustine only playing nine minutes because of foul trouble.
Luther Head finished with a team-high 21 points for Illinois in the national championship game loss, while Deron Williams (17 points, seven assists) and Dee Brown (12 points, seven assists) also contributed during the final game of a season that saw Illinois finish with a 37-2 record.
Illinois and North Carolina could have met in the second round during the 2026 NCAA tournament, but VCU upset the Tar Heels in the first round before Illinois cruised past VCU 76-55 in Greenville, S.C., part of a run by the Illini that ended with their first trip to the Final Four since 2005.
"North Carolina is one of college basketball's most storied programs, and they will have an excellent team once again," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said in a statement. "We had a tremendous experience in Nashville last season, and I know our fans will be excited to return to the Music City on Jan. 30 to watch us face the Tar Heels."
Illinois last played North Carolina on Nov. 30, 2010, with the Illini winning 79-67 in Champaign behind 20 points and 10 rebounds from Mike Davis.
The all-time series between Illinois and North Carolina is tied at 4-4. The first meeting happened on Dec. 20, 1951 when Illinois beat North Carolina 86-66 in Champaign. North Carolina won the next two games in the series, defeating Illinois 90-77 on Dec. 20, 1986 in Chapel Hill, N.C., and winning 85-74 on Dec. 19, 1987 in Champaign.
The next game between the Illini and Tar Heels didn't happen until Dec. 3, 2002, with Illinois running away with a 92-65 victory in Champaign. North Carolina beat Illinois 88-81 the next season when the two teams played on Dec. 2, 2003 in Greensboro, N.C.
After the national championship game in 2005, the two teams met seven months later in Chapel Hill. Illinois earned a 68-64 win on Nov. 29, 2005 behind 14 points from Brown and a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double by Augustine.
North Carolina will have a new coach next season in Michael Malone. The former Denver Nuggets coach who led the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA title replaces Hubert Davis. Davis went 125-54 in five seasons as the Tar Heels' coach.
"Stepping out of conference play for a high-profile national game presents a good opportunity for both programs," Malone said in a statement. "Illinois was a Final Four team last year and we expect they will have another outstanding team. It should be a great test for us."
Illinois finished 28-9 last season during Underwood's ninth season in charge and will return a key core from last season's Final Four team. David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Andrej Stojakovic, Jake Davis and Zvonimir Ivisic are some of the main returnees back for Illinois, who will also welcome in Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks and a five-man freshman class, headlined by Quentin Coleman.
The addition of North Carolina to the nonconference schedule is the latest in a slew of marquee opponents the Illini will play next season. Illinois is already set to play at Texas Tech on Nov. 10 after the two teams met last season in Champaign before playing at Duke on Nov. 17. The Illini are also scheduled to play Connecticut on Dec. 4 at the United Center in Chicago, along with Missouri in the annual Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis just before Christmas.
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Against a program the Illini fan base probably can't wait to get another crack at.
Illinois and North Carolina will tip off on Jan. 30, 2027 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, part of the Nashville Hoops Showdown. Illinois defeated Tennessee 75-62 last season in Nashville.
It is the first meeting between the Illini and Tar Heels since 2010, and only the ninth all-time between the two programs.
The most memorable matchup between Illinois and North Carolina happened in the 2005 NCAA national championship game. The Tar Heels defeated the Illini 75-70 at the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis in the only appearance by Illinois in the national championship game. The game is long remembered by Illinois fans for Sean May scoring a game-high 26 points and Illini big man James Augustine only playing nine minutes because of foul trouble.
Luther Head finished with a team-high 21 points for Illinois in the national championship game loss, while Deron Williams (17 points, seven assists) and Dee Brown (12 points, seven assists) also contributed during the final game of a season that saw Illinois finish with a 37-2 record.
Illinois and North Carolina could have met in the second round during the 2026 NCAA tournament, but VCU upset the Tar Heels in the first round before Illinois cruised past VCU 76-55 in Greenville, S.C., part of a run by the Illini that ended with their first trip to the Final Four since 2005.
"North Carolina is one of college basketball's most storied programs, and they will have an excellent team once again," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said in a statement. "We had a tremendous experience in Nashville last season, and I know our fans will be excited to return to the Music City on Jan. 30 to watch us face the Tar Heels."
Illinois last played North Carolina on Nov. 30, 2010, with the Illini winning 79-67 in Champaign behind 20 points and 10 rebounds from Mike Davis.
The all-time series between Illinois and North Carolina is tied at 4-4. The first meeting happened on Dec. 20, 1951 when Illinois beat North Carolina 86-66 in Champaign. North Carolina won the next two games in the series, defeating Illinois 90-77 on Dec. 20, 1986 in Chapel Hill, N.C., and winning 85-74 on Dec. 19, 1987 in Champaign.
The next game between the Illini and Tar Heels didn't happen until Dec. 3, 2002, with Illinois running away with a 92-65 victory in Champaign. North Carolina beat Illinois 88-81 the next season when the two teams played on Dec. 2, 2003 in Greensboro, N.C.
After the national championship game in 2005, the two teams met seven months later in Chapel Hill. Illinois earned a 68-64 win on Nov. 29, 2005 behind 14 points from Brown and a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double by Augustine.
North Carolina will have a new coach next season in Michael Malone. The former Denver Nuggets coach who led the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA title replaces Hubert Davis. Davis went 125-54 in five seasons as the Tar Heels' coach.
"Stepping out of conference play for a high-profile national game presents a good opportunity for both programs," Malone said in a statement. "Illinois was a Final Four team last year and we expect they will have another outstanding team. It should be a great test for us."
Illinois finished 28-9 last season during Underwood's ninth season in charge and will return a key core from last season's Final Four team. David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Andrej Stojakovic, Jake Davis and Zvonimir Ivisic are some of the main returnees back for Illinois, who will also welcome in Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks and a five-man freshman class, headlined by Quentin Coleman.
The addition of North Carolina to the nonconference schedule is the latest in a slew of marquee opponents the Illini will play next season. Illinois is already set to play at Texas Tech on Nov. 10 after the two teams met last season in Champaign before playing at Duke on Nov. 17. The Illini are also scheduled to play Connecticut on Dec. 4 at the United Center in Chicago, along with Missouri in the annual Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis just before Christmas.
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