- 6,996
- 127
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2004
These two programs have combined for 3,871 wins, 74 Conference Championships, 29 Final Fours, and 11 National Titles.
Since this series was renewed in 2001, UK leads 4-3 with UNC winning the last 3.
Since this series was renewed in 2001, UK leads 4-3 with UNC winning the last 3.
UK hopes to extend UNC contract
By Brett Dawson
[email protected]
The Courier-Journal
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The basketball bond between the University of Kentucky and North Carolina isn't likely to end anytime soon.
But contractually, their bond expires on Saturday.
The Wildcats and Tar Heels - linked by their on-court success as the two winningest programs in Division I basketball history - will play at Rupp Arena on Saturday, the final meeting under their current contract.
If UK gets its way, the end of the current deal won't be the end of the series.
"It's been a great series and we've got a great relationship with them, so we'll continue talking," said Rob Mullens, UK's deputy director of athletics, whose responsibilities include basketball scheduling. "We talk pretty frequently with them."
The Cats and Tar Heels have played the last six seasons. The current contract is a two-year deal that followed the initial four-year contract for an alternating home-and-home series.
Mullens said he anticipates another contract "unless something gets in the way."
"You never know what's going to come up, but I think both programs enjoy the series," Mullens said. "It gets the right play at the right time."
Timing could be an issue as the programs go forward. In all but two years of the current six-year series, the game has been played on the first Saturday in December.
That date might not be as appealing in the future, if CBS keeps the Southeastern Conference football championship game in the afternoon, where it moves this season. That game had been played at night on CBS, giving UK-Carolina a daytime slot to tip off that network's college basketball season.
This year, the Cats and Heels will play at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.
This game could get ugly. We looked terriblethe other night and we continue to turn the ball over. Patterson and Crawford have played well, but not having Meeks and Jasper is killing us. We'll haveto play a perfect game to get this "W."