Story by
UNC basketball at Kentucky: Game preview, info and more
- Story by
- UNC basketball at Kentucky: Game preview, info and more
Every good team faces adversity at some point during its season. For the UNC men's basketball team, that adversity came Thanksgiving Day.
North Carolina, which won its first six games with minimal resistance, lost 74-58 to Michigan State on Turkey Day. The Tar Heels (6-1) kept things close with the Spartans (7-0) early, trading runs throughout the first half, but cold shooting proved a second-half difference they failed to overcome.
Advertisement
UNC stays on the road to start December, heading northwest to Lexington for a highly-anticipated, ACC-SEC Challenge matchup with Kentucky at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night. After losing their second game of the season, also against Michigan State, the Wildcats (5-2) responded with blowout wins over Loyola (MD) and Tennessee Tech.
There's a mutual respect between North Carolina and Kentucky, but make no mistake, these teams hate each other when tip-off comes around. The Tar Heels and Wildcats, who typically battle in neutral-site matchups, will play in Lexington for the first time since 2014.
Kentucky has a 2-game winning streak against UNC, winning two seasons ago in Atlanta (87-83) and during 2021 in Las Vegas (98-69). North Carolina last beat the Wildcats on December 19, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio, when Armando Bacot anchored a 75-63 win with 14 points and eight rebounds.
The Tar Heels' schedule gets a bit easier after facing Kentucky, with home contests against Georgetown, USC Upstate and ETSU. If UNC wants to boost its NCAA Tournament resume this early in the 2025-26 college basketball season , beating the Wildcats is a must.
Advertisement
Keep reading below for our game preview about Tuesday's can't-miss clash, including North Carolina's key to victory, something to watch, statistical leads for each team, streaming information and the Tar Heels' full schedule.
Key to Victory
North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) goes for a lay up as Michigan State Spartans forward Cameron Ward (3) guards him during the first half of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division game at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.
Perimeter shooting hasto improve.
This year's UNC basketball squad puts an emphasis on its post players, headlined by the star duo of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar , but Hubert Davis made improving perimeter shooting an offseason focus.
North Carolina shot an ice-cold 17 percent (4-of-23) from deep against Michigan State. Veesaar, Luka Bogavac, Jarin Stevenson and Jonathan Powell were the only Tar Heels to make threes, while Kyan Evans and Wilson combined to shoot 0-of-8 from the perimeter.
Advertisement
Even if UNC makes 30 percent of its 3-pointers against Kentucky, that's still an improvement from Thanksgiving Day.
Something to Watch
North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) dunks the ball while twisting his body as Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) guards him during the first half of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division game at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.
How Kentucky defends Wilson.
After a strong first half against Michigan State, highlighted by three highlight-reel dunks, Wilson never found a groove in the second half. The Spartans adjusted their defensive approach, double-teaming UNC's freshman star and forcing him to take tough shots.
The Wildcats are a different opponent, so expect a different game plan from Davis. However North Carolina's head coach prepares for Kentucky, expect to see the ball in Wilson's hands more.
Advertisement
Statistical leaders
Nov 25, 2025; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kyan Evans (0) reacts after a basket against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the first half at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Points
UNC: Caleb Wilson (19.9)
Kentucky: Denzel Aberdeen (14)
Rebounds
UNC: Caleb Wilson (9.9)
Kentucky: Malachi Moreno (7.6)
Assists
UNC: Kyan Evans (4.4)
Kentucky: Jasper Johnson (3.6)
What you need to know
TarHeelsWire How to Watch
WHAT? North Carolina Tar Heels (6-1) at Kentucky Wildcats (5-2)
WHEN? Tuesday, December 2 at 9:30 p.m.
WHERE? Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
TV? ESPN
RADIO? SiriusXM (Channel 81 and 191)
LINE? Kentucky -8.5
LAST MEETING? Kentucky 87, UNC 83 on 12/16/23 in Atlanta, Ga.
ALL-TIME SERIES: UNC leads, 25-18
PREDICTION? UNC 84, Kentucky 72
UNC basketball 2025-26 schedule
October 4: Blue-White Scrimmage (White 55, Blue 50)
Advertisement
Oct. 24: at BYU (preseason, L 78-76)
Oct. 29: vs. Winston-Salem State (preseason, W 95-53)
Nov. 3: vs. Central Arkansas (W, 94-54)
Nov. 7: vs. Kansas (W, 87-74)
Nov. 11: vs. Radford (W, 89-74)
Nov. 14: vs. NC Central (W, 97-53)
Nov. 18: vs. Navy (W, 73-61)
Nov. 25: vs. St. Bonaventure in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (W, 85-70)
Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State in Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off (L, 74-58)
December 2: at Kentucky (9:30 p.m.)
Dec. 7: vs. Georgetown (5 p.m.)
Dec. 13: vs. USC Upstate (2 p.m.)
Dec. 16: vs. ETSU (8 p.m.)
Dec. 20: vs. Ohio State in CBS Sports Classic (3 p.m. in Atlanta, Ga.)
Dec. 22: vs. East Carolina (8 p.m.)
Advertisement
Dec. 30: vs. Florida State (2:15 p.m.)
January 3, 2026: at SMU (2:15 p.m.)
Jan. 10, 2026: vs. Wake Forest (6 p.m.)
Jan. 14, 2026: at Stanford (9 p.m.)
Jan. 17, 2026: at California (4 p.m.)
Jan. 21, 2026: vs. Notre Dame (7 p.m.)
Jan. 24, 2026: at Virginia (TBA)
Jan. 31, 2026: at Georgia Tech (2 p.m.)
Feb. 2, 2026: vs. Syracuse (7 p.m.)
Feb. 7, 2026: vs. Duke (6:30 p.m.)
Feb. 10, 2026: at Miami (FL) (7 p.m.)
Feb. 14, 2026: vs. Pitt (2 p.m.)
Feb. 17, 2026: at NC State (7 p.m.)
Feb. 21, 2026: at Syracuse (1 p.m.)
Feb. 23, 2026: vs. Louisville (7 p.m.)
Feb. 28, 2026: vs. Virginia Tech (TBA)
March 3, 2026: vs. Clemson (7 p.m.)
Advertisement
March 7, 2026: at Duke (6:30 p.m.)
March 10-14, 2026: ACC Tournament in Spectrum Center (Charlotte, N.C.)
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball at Kentucky: Game preview, info and more
