WVU is adding to its non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season. The Mountaineers are finalizing an agreement to play North Carolina in the second annual Dick Vitale Invitational, per Rocco Miller. The game is at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC, on Friday, November 27, or Black Friday. This addition gives WVU a quality opponent on the schedule, but it also has underlying drama, especially for WVU fans. Read more: WVU Basketball to play UNC on Black Friday.
2025 NCAA Tournament drama
The Mountaineers were controversially left out of the 68-team field in 2025, under Darian DeVries. They had six Quadrant 1 wins and were omitted in favor of, you guessed it, North Carolina. The Tar Heels had a putrid 1-12 record against Quad 1 opponents. UNC’s athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, served as the selection committee’s chairman, and the NCAA stated he recused himself from all UNC votes.
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West Virginia finished 19-13 in the regular season and 10-10 in the Big 12 in DeVries first and only season as head coach. Governor of West Virginia, Patrick Morrisey, held a press conference criticizing the selection committee for leaving WVU out of the tournament, prompting the NCAA to change its conflict-of-interest policy.
The Tar Heels beat San Diego State in the First Four, but lost to Ole Miss in their next game. WVU opted not to participate in any postseason tournaments and underwent significant changes heading into the following season. Ross Hodge took over as head coach, and no contributing players returned in a complete roster overhaul.
NEWS: North Carolina and West Virginia are finalizing an agreement to meet in the 2nd Annual Dick Vitale Invitational at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, per multiple sources.
The date is set for Friday, November 27th. #ACC #Big12 pic.twitter.com/1fKSKDiSzP
— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) May 14, 2026
The Tar Heels may not remember it as well as the Mountaineers, but the fans surely do. The neutral court may appear to favor UNC at first glance, but the Mountaineers travel well, especially to Charlotte. WVU played North Carolina in the 2023 Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, and the WVU fans outnumbered their powder-blue opponents. Basketball seems to have more support in Chapel Hill, but it’s worth considering. WVU Football also plays Utah in the regular season finale on the same night, so that could affect turnout.
Opponent history
The history between these two teams is limited, especially in the modern era. WVU is 5-0 against North Carolina all-time, but the most recent game played was on New Year’s Eve in 1965. Jerry West played against them in the 1957-58 season in his sophomore season at WVU. The Mountaineers won that game 75-64 on a neutral court in Lexington, KY.
The Tar Heels were the top-ranked team in the nation and undefeated before that matchup. West only played 22 minutes in the game, fouling out with only 14 points. The Mountaineers still managed to beat the Tar Heels in a rare game between the programs.
The upcoming matchup with the Tar Heels should give a great look at WVU’s No. 14 recruiting class, according to ESPN. Five-star recruit Miles Sadler leads it, a point guard from Arizona. A couple of Sadler’s teammates at CIA Bella Vista Prep are joining him. Aliou Dioum signed his letter of intent, and Amadou Seini is the latest commitment to the program. Both are four-star centers with significant size.
