University of North Carolina Athletics
Head coach Michael Malone
Photo by: Maggie Hobson
Travel Packages On Sale Now For 2027 Nashville Hoops Showdown
September 16, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Travel packages are now available for fans looking for the ultimate experience at the 2027 Nashville Hoops Showdown, a college basketball neutral-site clash between Illinois and North Carolina in the Music City on Jan. 30.
Packages can be secured by visiting www.nashvillehoopsshowdown.com/travel and includes tickets in the respective team fan blocks, hotel accommodations at one of Nashville's premium properties – the JW Marriott Nashville (North Carolina) and The Westin Nashville (Illinois) – and an exclusive hospitality experience inside Bridgestone Arena on gameday.
Tickets for the event are scheduled to go on sale Oct. 15.
This will be Carolina's first game in Nashville since a road contest against Vanderbilt in 1987 and first in the state of Tennessee since 2018. The Illini are making a return trip to the Music City after earning a hard-fought win over Tennessee a season ago.
Voted one of the Best U.S. Cities to Visit in 2026 by U.S. News & World Report and the No. 1 Most Favorably Viewed Large City in America by YouGov, Nashville is a vibrant global destination where world class live music with over 250 live music venues, unmatched southern hospitality and premier sporting events converge to create a unique cultural experience.
January's contest will be the ninth all-time meeting between the programs, and first since 2010. Each team has won four games in the series. North Carolina and Illinois first met in 1951 before completing a home-and-home in 1986 and 1987. They faced each other five times in an eight-year span from 2002-2010, including a showdown for the 2005 national championship that was won by the Tar Heels.
Packages can be secured by visiting www.nashvillehoopsshowdown.com/travel and includes tickets in the respective team fan blocks, hotel accommodations at one of Nashville's premium properties – the JW Marriott Nashville (North Carolina) and The Westin Nashville (Illinois) – and an exclusive hospitality experience inside Bridgestone Arena on gameday.
Tickets for the event are scheduled to go on sale Oct. 15.
This will be Carolina's first game in Nashville since a road contest against Vanderbilt in 1987 and first in the state of Tennessee since 2018. The Illini are making a return trip to the Music City after earning a hard-fought win over Tennessee a season ago.
Voted one of the Best U.S. Cities to Visit in 2026 by U.S. News & World Report and the No. 1 Most Favorably Viewed Large City in America by YouGov, Nashville is a vibrant global destination where world class live music with over 250 live music venues, unmatched southern hospitality and premier sporting events converge to create a unique cultural experience.
January's contest will be the ninth all-time meeting between the programs, and first since 2010. Each team has won four games in the series. North Carolina and Illinois first met in 1951 before completing a home-and-home in 1986 and 1987. They faced each other five times in an eight-year span from 2002-2010, including a showdown for the 2005 national championship that was won by the Tar Heels.
Monday, September 21
Monday, September 21
Sunday, September 20
Friday, September 18