How To Watch North Carolina Tar Heels Women’s Basketball in 2025
✦ Edited and fact-checked by Sports Editor Taylor Kujawa, our resident TV expert with over eight years of covering sports.
A closer look at North Carolina women’s basketball
The Tar Heels took a significant step forward last season, posting a 29-win campaign and reaching the Sweet 16. That team was built around the tough, veteran core of Alyssa Ustby, Lexi Donarski, and Maria Gakdeng. Now, with all three having exhausted their eligibility, this season represents a major transition as the narrative shifts squarely to the next crop of successors.
Leadership now falls to junior guard Reniya Kelly and senior defensive ace Indya Nivar. A highly anticipated sophomore class joins them, including Blanca Thomas, Lanie Grant, and Jordan Zubich. Add in a highly-touted freshman class led by Nyla Brooks, and you have a roster brimming with potential. The fan base is cautiously optimistic, acknowledging the high ceiling but also the low floor that comes with youth.
Coach Courtney Banghart must quickly forge a new identity, particularly on the defensive end, as this team navigates the hotly contested ACC landscape. Finding their games will require a TV setup with ACC Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, The CW, and the digital-only ACC Network Extra (ACCNX). My job is to simplify that process and show you exactly how to watch UNC women’s basketball this season.
2025–2026 North Carolina women’s basketball TV schedule
The Tar Heels will tip off their season in early November, with non-conference tests and in-season tournaments. The schedule gets serious quickly with the WBCA Challenge matchup against UCLA on November 13 and an ACC/SEC Challenge game with Texas on December 4. ACC play opens with a bang on December 14 when Louisville visits Chapel Hill for a game on ACC Network.
As always, the rivalry dates are must-see TV. The Heels travel to Raleigh to face NC State on February 2. The Duke rivalry brings major national exposure, with the first meeting in Durham on February 15 and the regular-season finale matchup in Chapel Hill on March 1.
Here’s a look at the full Tar Heels TV schedule, including game times and channel listings.
| Opponent | Day | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Central Eagles | Monday, Nov. 3 | 11:00 a.m. | ACC Extra |
| Elon Phoenix | Thursday, Nov. 6 | 7:00 p.m. | ACC Extra |
| At UCLA (#3) | Thursday, Nov. 13 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Fairfield Stags | Saturday, Nov. 15 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| At North Carolina A&T Aggies | Thursday, Nov. 20 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| UNC Greensboro Spartans | Sunday, Nov. 23 | 6:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| At South Dakota State Jackrabbits | Thursday, Nov. 27 | 11:00 a.m. | TBA |
| Kansas State | Friday, Nov. 28 | 11:00 a.m. | TBA |
| At Columbia Lions | Saturday, Nov. 29 | 1:30 p.m. | TBA |
| At Texas (#4) | Thursday, Dec. 4 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Boston University Terriers | Sunday, Dec. 7 | 12:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| Louisville (#20) | Sunday, Dec. 14 | 4:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| UNC Wilmington Seahawks | Wednesday, Dec. 17 | 9:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| Charleston Southern Buccaneers | Sunday, Dec. 21 | 2:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| At Boston College Eagles | Monday, Dec. 29 | 9:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| California Golden Bears | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 12:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| Stanford Cardinal | Sunday, Jan. 4 | TBD | ESPN, ACC Network |
| At Notre Dame (#15) | Sunday, Jan. 11 | 1:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Miami Hurricanes | Thursday, Jan. 15 | TBD | TBA |
| At Florida State Seminoles | Sunday, Jan. 18 | TBD | TBA |
| At Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | Thursday, Jan. 22 | 9:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| Syracuse Orange | Sunday, Jan. 25 | TBD | TBA |
| At NC State (#9) | Monday, Feb. 2 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Clemson Tigers | Thursday, Feb. 5 | 7:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| At Wake Forest Demon Deacons | Sunday, Feb. 8 | 2:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| SMU Mustangs | Thursday, Feb. 12 | 7:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| At Duke (#7) | Sunday, Feb. 15 | 1:00 p.m. | ABC |
| At Virginia Tech Hokies | Thursday, Feb. 19 | 7:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| Pittsburgh Panthers | Sunday, Feb. 22 | 12:00 p.m. | ACC Network |
| At Virginia Cavaliers | Thursday, Feb. 26 | 7:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Duke (#7) | Sunday, March 1 | 12:00 p.m. | ESPN |
Data effective as of post date.
Best TV plans for watching North Carolina women’s basketball
Watching the Tar Heels on TV requires access primarily through the ESPN family of networks, plus The CW. But you’ll also need ESPN+ and FloHoops access for some streaming exclusives.
My preferred setup is Hulu + Live TV. It includes the full ESPN suite, your local ABC and The CW affiliates, and ACC Network. You’ll also get full ACCNX and ESPN+ coverage integrated within the Hulu app, so you don’t have to jump to another platform. In other words, a single Hulu + Live TV subscription is the most straightforward way to cover almost every UNC broadcast.
I say “almost” because you still need a (pricy) FloHoops subscription for those Cancun Challenge games. But if you prefer saving money, I recommend skipping FloHoops and streaming radio coverage on WCHL 97.9 FM. You can also save money by ditching a live TV plan altogether and signing up for ESPN Unlimited, which covers every broadcast within the ESPN and SEC Network portfolio. For The CW games, you can watch them for free with a digital antenna or stream them via The CW app.
How to watch North Carolina women’s basketball FAQ
Where can I watch North Carolina women's basketball for free?
You can watch Tar Heels games airing on ABC and The CW for free using a digital antenna to pick up your local affiliate stations. You can also stream The CW games for free on the channel's official app or website. But all other games on premium channels, like ACC Network and ESPN, will require a free live TV streaming trial.
How can I stream North Carolina basketball without cable?
Without cable, you're next best alternative is a subscription to a live TV streaming service like Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, or Stream with DIRECTV. Otherwise, standalone streaming coverage via ESPN Unlimited, FloHoops, and the free CW app will also have you covered.
Can I watch North Carolina basketball on ESPN+?
Yes, at least one UNC game will stream on ESPN+ this season. But while other games designated as ACCNX might be simulcast on ESPN+, the primary way to watch those is by signing up for ESPN Unlimited or by authenticating with your TV provider credentials in the ESPN app.
What channels show North Carolina women's basketball?
The majority of North Carolina games air across the ACC Network, ESPN/ESPN2, and The CW. The Tar Heels also receive premium national exposure, with select games scheduled to air on ABC.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com editorial team cross-referenced the official North Carolina women’s basketball schedule with the channel lineups of every major TV provider. Using those details, we selected our viewing recommendations based on channel availability, pricing, and ease of use.
This guide is updated regularly throughout the season to ensure our information is accurate. To learn more about our methods, check out our How We Rank page.
