"Two of the loudest, most brash fan bases": UNC columnist weighs in on Hubert Davis' Tar Heels' marquee matchup vs Mark Pope's Kentucky

UNC columnist Sherrell McMillan gave his take on the much-anticipated nonconference clash between North Carolina and Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Dec. 2.

This will be the 44th time both teams meet on the hardwood, with the Tar Heels leading the all-time showdown 25-18. However, the Wildcats aim to extend their recent winning run against their rivals, having won three of their last four games, including an 87-83 victory at the CBS Sports Classic during the 2023-24 season.

On Inside Carolina's "Coast to Coast" podcast, McMillan gave his take on the upcoming ACC/SEC Challenge matchup of two of the well-renowned "blue blood" programs, with his focus leaning on the fan bases and the two alumni coaches calling the shots - North Carolina's Hubert Davis and Kentucky's Mark Pope.

"These are probably the two loudest, most-brash fan bases, I would say, in the country when it comes to basketball," McMillan said (Timestamp: 6:05). "I think Kentucky — no disrespect to Carolina fans — but I think Kentucky fans are just on a different level."

"And that's not necessarily a good thing, but they are on a different level as far as what they do and how they react to their team. But Carolina fans are not far behind," he added.

The columnist also highlighted the reputations of both programs, with both teams combining for 14 national championships and possibly the highest salary pools in the country.

The Tar Heels' NIL payroll rose to over $14 million this season, particularly due to the addition of longtime NBA agent and general manager Jim Tanner, per Inside Carolina.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, aren't far behind, with CBS Sports college basketball insider Jeff Goodman estimating Kentucky's NIL coffers to be around $12 million.

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Mark Pope, Hubert Davis meet for the first time as coaches

North Carolina and Kentucky bring in alumni flavor to their coaching staffs in the ACC/SEC Challenge, with Mark Pope and Hubert Davis calling the strategies from the bench.

Pope, who replaced former national champion coach John Calipari, had a great first season with the Wildcats, reaching the 2025 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Davis, on the other hand, guided the Tar Heels to a runner-up finish in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. But he has spent the next three seasons trying to find the magic that produced that Cinderella run.

He helped the Tar Heels reach the last two NCAA Tournaments but only produced a Sweet 16 and first-round finishes in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the tournament, respectively.

Mark Pope's Wildcats had the fourth-best recruiting and transfer portal class this season, according to 247Sports. It secured the commitments of highly rated guard Jasper Johnson, center Malachi Moreno and wing Braydon Hawthorne from high school and former five-star recruit Jayden Quaintance from the transfer portal.

Hubert Davis' North Carolina, meanwhile, had the seventh-best class, highlighted by five-star pickup Caleb Wilson and four-star combo guards Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis. The transfer portal acquisitions aren't too shabby either, with former Alabama star Jarin Stevenson and Arizona center Henri Veesaar heading the group.