UNC Basketball: The Tar Heels will play in the 2023 Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden

When Hubert Davis became the head coach for UNC basketball, he said that he wanted to start playing in Madison Square Garden again, an arena he called home from 1992-96. He’s delivering on that promise.

Yesterday, Jon Rothstein reported that Carolina was the first of four teams announced for next year’s Jimmy V Classic in the Mecca of basketball:

This year’s field has Illinois vs. Texas and Duke vs. Iowa. The Jimmy V Classic is traditionally held in early December, so Tar Heel fans who make the trip up will be able to dive into the holiday wonderland that is New York City before and after the game.

As a reminder to those who haven’t made travel plans yet, UNC is playing Ohio State in Madison Square Garden on Saturday, December 17, 2022. There are still seats available on Ticketmaster or through the Madison Square Garden site.

New York continues to be a hotbed of high school basketball talent. Look no further than R.J. Davis to see what kind of kids come out of the region. Carolina has a proud history of turning New York talent into Tar Heel legends, from Frank McGuire’s “Underground Railroad” to the more recent crop such as Cole Anthony, Danny Green, Ed Cota, and Brendan Haywood. And let’s not forget the top ambassador of Carolina hoops, Kenny “The Jet” Smith.

These trips to Madison Square Garden will be a treat for both UNC players and fans alike. There’s nothing like New York in December, provided you haven’t been separated from your parents and have two escaped prisoners chasing you around the city. So if you haven’t done so already, make plans to visit and cheer on the Tar Heels in the world’s most famous arena.