Basketball season is soooooooooo close. The Heels start the season off at home against Loyola on Tuesday night. A tough non-conference schedule is in store once again, but the ACC schedule is somewhat favorable this year. The non-conference schedule has the potential to provide quite a few exciting games with the obvious tune-up games thrown in. So let’s break down the Heels ‘21-22 schedule.
11/20-Purdue-Hall of Fame tip off
11/21-either Tennessee or Villanova- Hall of Fame tip off
12/1- home against Michigan- ACC/Big 10 Challenge
12/18-UCLA CBS Sports Classic
Potential to take down 4 top 10 teams before christmas, very least 4 ranked teams
Favorable ACC Schedule
Play Twice: Duke, NC State, Vtech, Louisville, BC, Georgia Tech-1st ACC game away
Play Once Home: UVA, FSU, Pitt, Syracuse
Play Once Away: Notre Dame, Miami, Wake Forest, Clemson
Conference schedule notes:
3 scenarios where the heels play on a Saturday and then a Monday. State and Louisville are involved in 2 of those 3 scenarios.
Saturday 1/29 vs NC State - Monday 1/31 @ Louisville
Saturday 2/19 @ Virginia Tech - Monday 2/21 vs Louisville
Saturday 2/26 @ NC State - Monday 2/28 vs Syracuse.
Last 2 scenarios are coming in back to back weekends but the Heels do have 5 days off between those splits. Also have 5 days off to prepare for Duke after the Syracuse game.
Both Duke games are on a Saturday at 6pm.
Back to back away games twice:
Saturday 1/1 @ Boston College - Wednesday 1/5 @ Notre Dame
Tuesday 1/18 @ Miami - Saturday 1/22 @ Wake Forest
Back to back home games three times:
Saturday 1/8 vs. Virginia - Saturday 1/15 vs Georgia Tech
Wednesday 1/26 vs. Boston College - Saturday 1/29 vs. NC State
Saturday 2/12 vs. Florida State - Wednesday 2/16 vs. Pitt
The notes above are a good summary of what the Heels will be up against this season, but let’s break it down a little further. The season technically starts off tomorrow night with an exhibition game against Elizabeth City State. That game will start at 7:30pm and will be televised on the ACC Network Extra. The game is in Chapel Hill.
The first game that counts is a matchup with Loyola on Tuesday November 9. It’s the first of 3 tune-up games for the Heels before they jump into the first of their non-conference tournaments. They will then face Brown on Friday Nov. 12. Brown didn’t play last year due to covid. The Heels only true road game comes next when they traveling to Charleston to play the College of Charleston on Tuesday Nov. 16. College of Charleston is always well coached, and it will be good to get some experience in a road environment before traveling to Connecticut for the Hall of Fame Tip Off. The first 3 games will also be critical to establishing momentum and gaining some rhythm before the matchup with #7 Purdue on Saturday Nov. 20. The Heels will then face either #4 Villanova or #18 Tennessee the very next day. That will be a tough 2 games, and will be a good early indication of what needs to be worked. Coming out of that weekend 1-1 since realistic. 2-0 would be fantastic, and 0-2 would show that there is serious work that needs to be done. The Heels get another tune-up game on Tuesday Nov. 23 against UNC Asheville before they face #6 Michigan on Wednesday Dec. 1 as part of the ACC/Big Ten challenge. The heels have struggled in the past against ranked opponents in the challenge. You feel a little bit better since the game is at home. The Heels will get their chance at knocking off a title contender in prime time (tip off is 9:15pm).
ACC play then officially kicks off on Sunday Dec. 5 as the Heels travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech. They haven’t played well at Georgia Tech and the Jackets have been a common early opponent in the ACC schedule. The next ACC opponent isn’t till Dec. 29 against the Hokies.
The Heels then return home for a matchup with Elon on Saturday Dec. 11 and that is followed up with another tune-up game against Furman on Tuesday Dec. 14.
They then travel to Vegas to take on UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic. The game is on Saturday Dec. 18. Tip off is 3pm. This is another huge neutral site game for the Heels and barring a slip up by UCLA, this would be a chance to knock off the #2 ranked team in the country. Johnny Juzang and the Bruins had a magical run last year before falling to Gonzaga in the Final Four. This is the last of the Heels big non conference games. I think you would be happy if the Heels finished their 4 games against ranked non conference opponents 2-2. It’s a tall task and their best chance to get wins may be in the Hall of Fame tipoff, but the games are a great experience against top level opponents.
The Heels are then back home against App State on Tuesday Dec. 21 before conference play really kicks off. The Heels will remain at home against Virginia Tech on Wednesday Dec. 29. The first of 2 matchups with the Hokies.
They then have back to back road games for the first time. They will start the new year off at Boston College on Saturday Jan. 1 and then will travel to Notre Dame for a matchup with the Irish on Wednesday Jan. 5. The matchup with the Irish is the lone one on the season.
The Heels are then home for back to back games. Their lone matchup with Virginia is Saturday Jan. 8th. They then have a week off before their second matchup with Georgia Tech on Saturday Jan. 15.
The Heels are then back on the road for back to back games for the second and final time of the season. They will take on Miami in Coral Gables on Tuesday Jan. 18. This will be their lone matchup with the Hurricanes. They will then travel back to NC for a matchup at Wake Forest. This will be the only time they play the Demon Deacons this season. The game is on Saturday Jan 22.
The Heels then have back to back home games for the second time this season. Their second matchup with Boston College will be on Wednesday Jan 26 followed by their first matchup with NC State on Saturday Jan. 29. This game will be part of the first Saturday to Monday turn around for the Heels. The Heels will travel to Louisville for a matchup on Monday Jan. 31.
The Heels are then back in the Smith Center on Saturday Feb. 5 for their first matchup with Duke. They will almost have a week to prepare for this game.
They are then back on the road at Clemson on Tuesday Feb 8 before returning home for back to back games for the last time. They take on Florida State on Saturday Feb 12 and then Pitt on Wednesday Feb 16. These games will be the only matchups against Clemson, FSU, and Pitt on the season.
The Heels then travel to Blacksburg to take on the Hokies for a second time on Saturday Feb 19.This will be the first half of the Heel’s second Saturday to Monday turn around. The heels then.return home to face Louisville for the second time on Monday Feb 21.
The Heels then almost have a week off before making the short trip to Raleigh on Saturday Feb 26 to take on the Wolfpack. This is the last Saturday to Monday turn around for the Heels as they travel to Syracuse on Monday Feb 28 for a matchup in the Carrier Dome.
They close out the regular season on Saturday March 5 at Duke. This will be senior night and Coach K’s last regular season ACC game as well as his last game in Cameron Indoor. This game will be a tough one to snag, but what a way to end the regular season. The game will be on ESPN at 6pm.
Also I'm going to have a Carolina themed shirt up tomorrow so be sure to check it out. Just go to the link below.
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