You know we're inching closer to basketball season when the non-conference slate of games is revealed for Courtney Banghart and the UNC women's basketball program.
On Thursday, the program announced the games they'll be playing during non-conference action. Of the 14 games they'll take the court for against non-conference foes, 9 will be held at Carmichael Arena, while four are neutral site games. North Carolina will only have one true road game during non-conference play.
As a fun way to reveal the non-conference slate, the program shared a video of the current players drawing in Pictionary style to announce each game. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll want to take a look, as this group is sure to be a fun one to watch this upcoming season.
Non-conference schedule, but make it art. pic.twitter.com/kdwACy2Ugl
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) July 30, 2026
The non-conference slate will be great test for UNC
Here is the official 2026-2027 non-conference schedule for Courtney Banghart and the Tar Heels:
2026-27 North Carolina Women's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 2 – vs. Oklahoma (Oui Play / Paris, France)
Nov. 8 – vs. South Carolina (Ally Tipoff / Charlotte, N.C.)
Nov. 11 – NC Central (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Nov. 14 – at Penn (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Nov. 19 – vs. Texas Tech (WBCA Showcase / Orlando, Fla.)
Nov. 21 – vs. Alabama (WBCA Showcase / Orlando, Fla.)
Nov. 24 – Gardner-Webb (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Nov. 27 – Army (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Nov. 29 – Brown (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Dec. 2 – LSU (SEC/ACC Challenge / Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Dec. 6 – Elon (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Dec. 9 – Winthrop (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Dec. 21 – Norfolk State (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Dec. 28 – UNCW (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
The season starts in Paris, France with a battle against Oklahoma on November 2. Just six days later, the Tar Heels will be back in the state of North Carolina, as Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks await them in the Ally Tipoff in Charlotte.
North Carolina's home opener will be held on November 11, marking the lone game at Carmichael Arena over the first 22 days of the season. Following the WBCA Showcase in Orlando, Florida, a two-game event that will have UNC compete against Texas Tech (November 19) and Alabama (November 21), the rest of the non-conference schedule keeps the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill with eight consecutive games at home from November 24 to December 28.
Courtney Banghart and UNC among the finalists for an elite five-star 2027 recruit
Of course, the neutral site games are the highlight of the non-conference schedule, but the home matchup against LSU on December 2 as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge is one that will draw national attention as well. In fact, that game will be one of the marquee games of this year's event, pinning two of the elite programs in women's college basketball up against each other, a game that will be a major resume booster for the winner.
One thing about Banghart is this: she is going to put the Tar Heels in a position to grow. They aren't going to shy away from the top-tier competition, as they embrace the challenges of competing against the country's best.
This non-conference schedule proves that, especially early on in the season when it could be very easy for teams to put together a "cupcake" schedule to help them get into an early groove. North Carolina is jumping into this season ready to compete, and that mindset should help them in their ultimate quest to make a very deep run in March.
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