Next year, two of the most storied programs in college basketball will go head-to-head in another classic matchup between blue bloods.
North Carolina and Michigan State are set to headline the 2025 Fort Myers Tip-Off, as announced by event organizers on Thursday. The event will take place at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College.
Scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, this game will mark the 18th time the Tar Heels and Spartans have faced each other, with their most recent clash occurring in the 2024 NCAA Tournament last March, where UNC triumphed 85-69 to advance to the Sweet 16.
Their last regular season encounter happened on November 26, 2017, when Michigan State claimed a decisive 63-45 victory. Despite that win, UNC leads the all-time series with a record of 13-4.
Both North Carolina and Michigan State have impressive accomplishments in NCAA history. UNC has won six national championships, ranking third among active programs, while the Spartans have two titles. The Tar Heels hold the record for the most Final Four appearances in history, with 21, and have participated in the NCAA Tournament 53 times, the second most overall. Michigan State, on the other hand, has 10 Final Four appearances and 37 tournament berths.
Since its inception in the 2018-19 season, the Fort Myers Tip-Off has quickly gained recognition as one of the top early-season tournaments in college basketball, attracting several elite NCAA Division I programs, including Kansas, Gonzaga, Auburn, Marquette, Wisconsin, Virginia, Ohio State, and Florida.
This year’s tournament features teams like Michigan, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, and Xavier.
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