The long‑standing rivalry between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the N.C. State Wolfpack, two of college basketball’s most storied programs, will be renewed this December in Greensboro.
A Neutral‑Site Showdown
The two schools have agreed to meet on Dec. 15 at the newly renamed First Horizon Coliseum, a venue that has hosted countless ACC tournaments and will serve as the site of the 2027 edition.
Malone’s First Season Gets a Boost
For Michael Malone, who is entering his first year as head coach of the Tar Heels, the matchup adds a high‑profile date to a schedule that already includes the ACC/SEC Challenge opener against Arkansas at the Smith Center and a road test at Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic.
A Venue Revived
First Horizon Coliseum, formerly known as the Greensboro Coliseum, underwent a rebranding after First Horizon Bank secured naming rights in October 2024. The arena’s rich history with ACC basketball makes it a fitting stage for a game that officials say is designed to strengthen both programs’ non‑conference slates.
Implications for the Upcoming Season
The agreement not only restores a second meeting between the rivals after the ACC’s new scheduling model limited them to a single conference clash, but also provides each team with a marquee non‑conference test that could influence early‑season rankings and NCAA tournament seeding.