When North Carolina is a top 10 team, John Calipari owns the Tar Heels

If a top-10 North Carolina team is matched up against Kentucky, the Tar Heels are better off just not showing up.

Following the Wildcats’ 87-83 win over No. 9 UNC on Saturday night in Atlanta, head coach John Calipari improved his record to 6-1 when coaching Kentucky against a North Carolina squad ranked among the Associated Press’ Top 10. The lone loss came during the Elite 8 in 2017 — the infamous Luke Maye shot.

Calipari’s 6-1 record against UNC, dating back to his first season at UK in 2009-10, goes like this:

• Dec. 5, 2009 | No. 5 Kentucky 68, No. 10 North Carolina 66
• March 27, 2011 | No. 11 Kentucky 76, No. 7 North Carolina 69
• Dec. 3, 2011 | No. 1 Kentucky 73, No. 5 North Carolina 72
• Dec. 17, 2016 | No. 6 Kentucky 103, No. 7 North Carolina 100
• March 26, 2017 | No. 6 North Carolina 75, No. 5 Kentucky 73
• Dec. 22, 2018 | No. 19 Kentucky 80, North Carolina 72
• Dec. 16, 2023 | No. 14 Kentucky 87, No. 9 North Carolina 83

.@UKCoachCalipari is 6-1 against AP Top 10 UNC teams at @KentuckyMBB 😯 pic.twitter.com/uydgu1EPdF

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) December 17, 2023

As you might have noticed, Kentucky was ranked among the Top 25 in all of those matchups and among the Top 10 for four of them. Whenever these two teams go head-to-head, you can almost guarantee an instant classic. Saturday night was another perfect example. Even more impressive? Kentucky is only winning these games by an average of 4.2 points per outing.

On the flip side, Calipari’s record against a non-top 10 UNC group is just 2-3.

Don’t be shocked if Kentucky ends up seeing North Carolina again this season. The two Blue Bloods have met in the NCAA Tournament twice already during the Calipari era. Calipari even said after Saturday’s win that he sees the Tar Heels as a Final Four team.

If round two is anything like round one, sign us up right now — but only if UNC is still in the Top 10.