What channel is UNC's October 9 basketball exhibition vs. USC on?

Oct. 9 marks the unofficial start of UNC basketball season. At 7 p.m., North Carolina will face the USC Trojans in a preseason exhibition in Greensboro, which is better known among ACC basketball fans as tournament town.

USC is entering Year 3 of the Eric Musselman era. The Trojans visit for the first of a three-game preseason slate for the Tar Heels. UNC will travel to Indiana on Oct. 18 and play host to Charlotte on Oct. 27.

North Carolina is testing itself in Year 1 of the Michael Malone era. UNC opens its regular season on Nov. 2 against Western Carolina. It plays a home-heavy early season slate: It doesn't leave North Carolina until a Dec. 12 game at Georgetown. Even so, UNC faces a loaded nonconference schedule that includes West Virginia, Arkansas, NC State and Kentucky.

The Tar Heels have three returning players on their 2025-26 roster: Jarin Stevenson, Isaiah Denis and Jaydon Young. Stevenson will play a large role in his final collegiate season. He is projected to start at power forward for the team he grew up rooting for. Denis and Young will push for starting minutes in the backcourt, a group led by transfers Terrence Brown and Matt Able.

USC returns a 20-point scorer in Rodney Rice, but will he be enough this year? The Trojans last made the NCAA Tournament four years ago and hired Musselman away from Arkansas with the idea he would make them a postseason regular.

If you're going to Greensboro on Friday night or are already there, have fun and enjoy the start to a new era of UNC basketball. If you're watching this anticipated matchup on TV, your favorite streaming device, listening on the radio or somewhere else, keep reading below for more information.

Stream UNC vs. USC

What channel is North Carolina vs. USC on Friday? Time, TV schedule, radio

TV Channel: ACC Network

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Radio: GoHeels.com

Website: WatchESPN

Where to watch UNC-USC basketball on live stream

Stream UNC-USC basketball

UNC vs. USC prediction, picks

The Tar Heels enter Friday night with one of their deepest rosters in years, thanks to a transfer portal overhaul by Malone. Stevenson is the only returner projected to start. Brown (Utah), Able (NC State), Neoklis Avdalas (Virginia Tech) and Sayon Keita (FC Barcelona) are likely to join Stevenson in the starting lineup.

USC returns a few guys from last year's squad, but it also welcomes in several transfers. Teams with a majority of their roster obtained through the portal sometimes endure growing pains, which both the Tar Heels and Trojans are bound to do.

In front of what should be a blue-heavy crowd, North Carolina wins a close one to unofficially kick off the Malone era.

Score prediction: UNC 75, USC 68

UNC men's basketball 2026-27 schedule

October 9: Exhibition vs. USC Trojans in Greensboro, N.C. (7 p.m.)

Oct. 18: Exhibition at Indiana Hoosiers in Indianapolis (5 p.m.)

Oct. 27: Exhibition vs. Charlotte (7:30 p.m.)

November 2: Season opener vs. Western Carolina (7 p.m.)

Nov. 6: vs. Wofford (7 p.m.)

Nov. 10: vs. Wyoming (7 p.m.)

Nov. 13: vs. Georgia (7 p.m.)

Nov. 20: vs. Marshall (9 p.m.)

Nov. 23: vs. Monmouth (8 p.m.)

Nov. 27: Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte, N.C. (7 p.m.)

December 1: ACC-SEC Challenge vs. Arkansas (7:30 p.m.)

Dec. 6: vs. Butler (3 p.m.)

Dec. 12: at Georgetown (Noon)

Dec. 15: Tobacco Road Classic vs. NC State in Greensboro (7 p.m.)

Dec. 19: CBS Sports Clasic vs. Kentucky in New York, N.Y. (2:30 p.m.)

Dec. 21: vs. The Citadel (8 p.m.)

Dec. 30: vs. Cal (4 p.m.)

January 2, 2027: at Boston College (4 p.m.)

Jan. 5: at Louisville (9 p.m.)

Jan. 9: vs. NC State (Noon)

Jan. 13: at Florida State (7 p.m.)

Jan. 16: vs. Stanford (2:15 p.m.)

Jan. 19: vs. Virginia (9 p.m.)

Jan. 23: at Syracuse (12 p.m.)

Jan. 26: vs. SMU (7 p.m.)

Jan. 30: Nashville (Tenn.) Hoops Showdown vs. Illinois in Bridgestone Arena (6 or 6:30 p.m.)

February 2: at Notre Dame

Feb. 6: vs. Georgia Tech (2:15 p.m.)

Feb. 8: vs. Louisville (7 p.m.)

Feb. 13: at Duke (5:30 p.m.)

Feb. 20: at Wake Forest (7 p.m.)

Feb. 22: vs. Miami (7 p.m.)

Feb. 27: at Virginia Tech (7 p.m.)

March 2: at Pitt (9 p.m.)

March 6: vs. Duke (6 or 6:30 p.m.)

March 9-13: ACC Tournament in Greensboro

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: What channel is UNC's October 9 basketball exhibition vs. USC on?

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