UNC Basketball hosts Elon to open the 2024-2025 college basketball season

We've waited long enough: the UNC basketball program is BACK!

Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels begin the 2024-2025 season Monday night by hosting Elon for a late-night basketball game at the Dean Smith Center. This is the first of two games the Tar Heels will play in the opening week as they travel to Lawrence to take on the No. 1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks on Friday night.

Before the Tar Heels hit the road, they have to worry about a clash with the Phoenix. As we already know: you can't look too far into the future, you have to take care of the business in front of you first.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Overall record: 29-8
Conference record: 17-3 (ACC Regular Season Champions)
Home record: 14-1
Away record: 8-2
Neutral site record: 7-5
No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament (lost to Alabama in the Sweet 16)

Elon Phoenix

Overall record: 13-19
Conference record: 6-12 (11th place)
Home record: 8-6
Away record: 3-12
Neutral site record: 2-1

North Carolina

RJ Davis (Gr. Guard) – 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists
Elliot Cadeau (So. Guard) – 7.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists
Seth Trimble (Jr. Guard) – 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists

Elon

TK Simpkins (So. Guard) – 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists
Sam Sherry (Sr. Forward) – 9.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 blocks
Nick Dorn (Solar Guard) – 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds

The Tar Heels dominated in front of their home crowd in Chapel Hill a season ago, posting a 14-1 record at the Dean Smith Center.

Hubert Davis and North Carolina hope to repeat that success this season.

The Dean Smith Center will be rocking on Monday night as the UNC basketball program needs to harness that energy. If the Tar Heels get off to a good start, that energy will carry through the entire game.

Let's face it: We all missed watching UNC basketball! We look forward to their return to action!

There are 10 freshmen on this year's UNC basketball team (which coincides with the new world of college athletics). North Carolina has a new look that should be seen early and often in the 2024-2025 season.

This team will be successful when they play at their pace: fast. As we saw in the Tar Heels exhibition games against Memphis and Johnson C. Smith, the Tar Heels have no problem getting out in transition, a trait that should help them score a lot of points.

The thing to watch here is how the Tar Heels come out of the gate. Opening night at the Dean Smith Center might cause some nerves among the newcomers, but the hope is that the Tar Heels will shoot right out of the gate and take advantage of this game right from the start.

#3 Elliot Cadeau (So. 6'1)
#4 RJ Davis (size 6'0)
#5 Cade Tyson (Jr. 6'7)
#7 Seth Trimble (Jr. 6'3)
#13 Jalen Washington (Jr. 6'10)