The UNC Asheville Bulldogs men’s basketball 2025-2026 non-conference schedule is packed with great matchups against highly touted mid-major opponents.
“I think any chance you get to play a premium mid-major opponent like Miami (Ohio) or St. Thomas, who are both preseason top 25 mid-major pole, it’s exciting,” UNCA Director of Basketball Operations Jonathan Pickett said.
UNC Asheville lit up Kimmel Arena on Oct. 28, rolling past Truett McConnell 92-54 in a dominant preseason tune-up. Next, the Bulldogs head to Kansas to face their first opponent Wichita State and officially open the 2025-26 regular season. The Bulldogs are treating their regular season opener as if it were any other game.
“Every game is the same to me, I’m just trying to win by one point,” UNCA Head Coach Mike Morrell said. “I don’t have one that I’m more excited about than the other.”
The Bulldogs non-conference schedule features eight home games, five away games, and two games at a neutral site in downtown Asheville. The Harrah’s Cherokee Center facility is a 2.4 miles drive from campus, and will host back-to-back games against Appalachian State (Nov. 30) and UNC Greensboro (Dec. 2).
“Last time we played App State, it was very exciting with Josh Banks hitting 10 threes. If the crowd can come alive now in Asheville, it’ll be pretty cool,” Pickett said. “I’m just excited to go down there.”
The Bulldogs also play the N.C. State Wolfpack on Dec. 6 in Raleigh. The Wolfpack are expected to contend for the ACC Championship with first year Head Coach Will Wade.
“I’m really excited for NC State. Obviously, any chance you get to play an ACC opponent is exciting and it gets the team going. On top of it, from a personal level, my college roommate is on staff there, so to bring back the past and also the future, it’s pretty exciting,” Pickett said.
The Bulldogs also face a familiar opponent when they travel to Western Carolina on Nov. 19.
“You’re a little more scouted. It feels like a conference game every year. Rivalries are exciting and you really have to know adjustments in game and go from there,” Pickett said.
Morrell credits their strength of schedule to their success as a program. The Bulldogs won the Big South championship in 2023, and have had two strong seasons since their NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023.
“It gets more challenging by the year when you have success because it’s really hard to get home games,” Morrell said. “We were able to do that this year, but we had to play some really good teams.”
The Bulldogs also face three NAIA opponents during the regular season inside Kimmel Arena.
“We treat them like any other game we play on the schedule,” Pickett said. “They come in excited. Similar to how we’ll go play an ACC or Power 4 opponent. They treat us the same way we treat them. Go out there, give it your best effort, try to get a win, and shock some people.”
