The North Carolina basketball team will begin defense of its 2016 national championship on Friday, Not. 10 with a home game against Northern Iowa. It’s one of seven home games for the Tar Heels on a nonconference schedule that was announced Friday. Coach Roy Williams’ team will also play at the Smith Center against Bucknell on Nov. 15, Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 29, Tulane on Dec. 3, Western Carolina on Dec. 6 and Wofford on Dec. 20. It will also play an exhibition game against Barton on Friday, Oct. 27. UNC will also play two true road games, at Stanford on Nov. 20 and Tennessee on Dec. 17, as well as four at neutral sites, including a matchup with in-state rival Davidson at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte on Dec. 1. The Tar Heels, who guards Joel Berry and Theo Pinson but must replace their entire starting frontcourt, are one of 16 teams playing in the PK80 tournament in Portland, Ore., during Thanksgiving week. They are scheduled to play host Portland in the opening round on Nov. 24 with a game against either Arkansas or Oklahoma the following day. UConn, Georgetown, Michigan State and Oregon are also in UNC’s bracket. UNC’s final nonconference game is against Ohio State on Dec. 23 as part of the CBS Sports Classic in New Orleans. It will mark the first time it has ever finished their nonconference schedule before Christmas. The Tar Heels’ ACC schedule, which was announced on Thursday, includes home-and-home meetings against Duke, NC State, Clemson and Notre Dame, home games against Boston College, Georgia Tech, Miami, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest, and road trips to Florida State, Louisville, Syracuse, Virginia and Virginia Tech. The ACC will announce dates, starting times and television designations for conference games at a later date. Here is UNC’s complete 2017-18 nonconference schedule.Fri., Oct. 27 vs. Barton College (exhibition game, Smith Center, 7:30 p.m.)Fri., Nov. 10 vs. Northern Iowa (Smith Center)Wed., Nov. 15 vs. Bucknell (Smith Center)Mon., Nov. 20 at StanfordThurs., Nov. 23 vs. Portland (PK80 in Portland, Ore.)Fri., Nov. 24 vs. Arkansas or Oklahoma (PK80 in Portland, Ore.)Sun., Nov. 26 vs. Connecticut, Georgetown, Michigan State or Oregon (PK80 in Portland, Ore.)Wed., Nov. 29 vs. Michigan (ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Smith Center)Fri., Dec. 1 at Davidson (Spectrum Center in Charlotte)Sun., Dec. 3 vs. Tulane (Smith Center)Wed., Dec. 6 vs. Western Carolina (Smith Center)Sun., Dec. 17 at TennesseeWed., Dec. 20 vs. Wofford (Smith Center)Sat., Dec. 23 vs. Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic in New Orleans)
