University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels To Host NCCU In Opener
November 14, 2014 | Men's Basketball
AT A GLANCE
Essential Info: North Carolina vs. NC Central
Friday Nov. 14, 2014 • 8 p.m. • Smith Center, Chapel Hill
Rankings: Carolina is No. 6 in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll and No. 6 in the preseason Associated Press poll. NC Central is unranked.
TV: ESPNU. Also will be streamed live online via ESPN3/WatchESPN. Roy Philpott (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) will have the call.
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network (list of affiliates). Jones Angell (play-by-play), Eric Montross (analyst), Sean May (analyst) and Dave Nathan (host) will have the call. GoHeels TV subscribers can listen online.
Game Notes: Carolina | NC Central
On The Web: GoHeels.com | NCCUEaglePride.com | Live Stats
Twitter: @UNC_Basketball | @NCCUAthletics
Fan Information: Tickets | Parking Information | Tar Heel Express | Smith Center Info (Directions, Policies, etc.)
CHAPEL HILL—North Carolina, ranked sixth in both preseason national polls, will open the 2014-15 season on Friday against North Carolina Central. Roy Philpott (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) will be on hand to call the action for ESPNU. The opening tip is scheduled for 8:05 p.m.
The North Carolina Central campus is less than 15 miles from the Smith Center, but Friday's game will be just the second meeting between Carolina and NCCU on the hardwood.
UNC will play a second home game this weekend when it hosts Robert Morris on Sunday at 6 p.m. That game is part of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, which will continue in the Bahamas later this month.
Fans with tickets to Friday's men's game also can get free admission to the UNC women's basketball games on Friday at 4 p.m. against Howard. The same deal will be in place on Sunday for the men's game against Robert Morris and the women's game versus UCLA at 2 p.m.
Noting the Tar Heels ...
ROY WILLIAMS NEEDS ONE WIN FOR 1,000 AS A COLLEGE HEAD & ASSISTANT COACH
North Carolina head coach Roy Williams enters Friday's game with North Carolina Central needing one win to reach 1,000 combined wins in his college coaching career (as a head and assistant coach). Williams, in his 37th season of college coaching, has a combined record of 999-255. That includes a 724-190 mark as a head coach and 275-65 in 10 seasons as an assistant to Dean Smith at Carolina from 1979-88.
PREVIEWING THE EAGLES
North Carolina Central reached the NCAA Tournament last year in its program's third season in Division I. The Eagles and Tar Heels both played in the 2014 NCAA Tournament East Regional last March, and both teams saw their season come to an end at the hands of Iowa State in San Antonio. The Cyclones beat NCCU in the second round and the Tar Heels in the third round two days later in the AT&T Center.
NC Central returns two starters from last year's squad that went 28-6 overall and 15-1 in the MEAC. The Eagles' 2014-15 roster includes transfers from Marquette, Lamar, James Madison, Florida Gulf Coast and Mississippi Valley State. Six players on the NCCU roster are 6-7 in height or taller.
TAR HEELS IN SEASON OPENERS
North Carolina is 92-12 all-time in season-opening games. UNC has won 79 of its last 84 season openers, including nine in a row.
Since the 1930-31 season, the Tar Heels have dropped season-opening games in 1965-66 (at Clemson), 1982-83 (vs. St. John's), 1996-97 (vs. Arizona), 2001-02 (Hampton) and 2004-05 (vs. Santa Clara).
CAROLINA IN HOME OPENERS
North Carolina is 97-7 all-time in home openers, winning 81 of its last 83 and 12 in a row. Carolina has lost its home opener just twice since the 1928-29 season — in 1999-2000 to Michigan State and in 2001-02 to Hampton. UNC is 25-2 in home openers in the Smith Center.
A CAROLINA WIN WOULD...
Improve Carolina to 1-0 this season...Improve Roy Williams to 12-0 in home openers as the UNC head coach...Give the Tar Heels their 10th win in a row on opening night and their 80th in the last 85 years...Improve UNC to 98-7 in home openers, including 26-2 in the Smith Center...Give UNC its 13th consecutive win in its home opener...Give Roy Williams his 1,000th combined win as a college coach (head and assistant).
