If you thought that UNC playing Wyoming as a non-conference opponent seems random, you’re not wrong. The Heels have only played the Cowboys once in program history. Wyoming lost to Carolina in an NIT matchup in 2003 in Chapel Hill, 90-74. The game is a bit of a footnote in UNC basketball history; this victory was former Tar Heels head coach Matt Doherty’s final win while leading the team. The Heels would go on to lose to Georgetown in the NIT quarterfinals; Doherty would be released as head coach soon
afterwards, paving the way for Roy Williams to return to Chapel Hill.
While it’s unlikely that tonight’s game will have the same sort of legacy, the Cowboys will provide another good matchup for the Heels to test themselves against. Wyoming enters the game with a 2-0 record and, from a strictly metrics perspective, is a better team than either Western Carolina or Wofford. The Cowboys rank 117th in KenPom’s rankings, although it’s still early enough that this should be taken with a grain of salt. KenPom gives UNC an 87% chance to win; depending on your book of choice, the Heels are roughly a 13.5 point favorite.
Here’s how to catch the game if you don’t plan on being in Chapel Hill in person:
- Time: 7:00 PM Eastern Time
- Location: Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
- TV: ACC Network with Anish Shroff and Terrence Oglesby
- Radio: Tar Heel Sport Network with Jones Angell. The list of affiliate stations can be found here. You can also listen to the game on theGoHeels.com, The Varsity Network, or Tune In.
- Streaming: You can stream the game on Watch ESPN (subscription required).
Go Heels!
