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Illinois and North Carolina basketball will play in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena on Jan. 30, 2027, for what could turn out to be a critical marquee nonconference matchup.
Tickets for the Nashville Hoops Showdown will go on sale Oct. 15. Game time and television designation will be announced later.
It is the first meeting between the Illini and Tar Heels since 2010, and only the ninth all-time between the two programs.
For coach Brad Underwood and the Illini, it will be the second straight season the program will play in Nashville. Last season, the Illini dominated Tennessee in the same venue, 75-62.
Last season, Illinois made its first appearance in the Final Four since 2005, when the Fighting Illini lost in the NCAA Championship game to the Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels will look to bounce back after a disappointing season that ended in a first-round exit in the NCAA tournament.
For first-year Tar Heels coach Mike Malone, it will be among the first of a couple of opportunities to make an early impression. Malone spent 24 seasons as an NBA coach, 12 as a head coach, including the 2023 season with the Denver Nuggets when the franchise won its first title.
Reach Commercial Appeal sports intern Said Bravo at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: UNC basketball to play Illinois in Nashville Hoops Showdown in 2027
Continue reading...
Tickets for the Nashville Hoops Showdown will go on sale Oct. 15. Game time and television designation will be announced later.
It is the first meeting between the Illini and Tar Heels since 2010, and only the ninth all-time between the two programs.
For coach Brad Underwood and the Illini, it will be the second straight season the program will play in Nashville. Last season, the Illini dominated Tennessee in the same venue, 75-62.
Last season, Illinois made its first appearance in the Final Four since 2005, when the Fighting Illini lost in the NCAA Championship game to the Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels will look to bounce back after a disappointing season that ended in a first-round exit in the NCAA tournament.
For first-year Tar Heels coach Mike Malone, it will be among the first of a couple of opportunities to make an early impression. Malone spent 24 seasons as an NBA coach, 12 as a head coach, including the 2023 season with the Denver Nuggets when the franchise won its first title.
Reach Commercial Appeal sports intern Said Bravo at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: UNC basketball to play Illinois in Nashville Hoops Showdown in 2027
Continue reading...
