CHAPEL HILL—North Carolina will play its lone public exhibition game of the 2016-17 preseason when it hosts UNC Pembroke on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in the Smith Center.

The ACC Network Extra will stream the game live. Tickets are available through the GoHeels.com Ticket Center.

The Tar Heels are ranked No. 6 in the nation in both the Associated Press and the USA Today Coaches polls.

UNC returns a number of key pieces from last year's team that won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA final in its record 19th Final Four appearance. Junior Joel Berry II, the 2016 ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player and a preseason first-team All-ACC pick, is back to start at point guard. Classmate Justin Jackson is a second-team preseason All-ACC choice on the wing, and senior big man Kennedy Meeks returns inside.

Also back is senior power forward Isaiah Hicks, who was the 2016 ACC Sixth Man of the Year and could help offset the graduation loss of Brice Johnson, a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Draft. Senior guard Nate Britt also returns, as does senior Stilman White and sophomores Luke Maye and Kenny Williams.

Carolina will be playing without junior wing Theo Pinson, who broke a bone in his right foot two weeks ago and is out of action indefinitely. Nevertheless, the ACC's media predicted the Tar Heels would finish second in the conference in 2016-17.

FOOD DRIVE FOR HURRICANE MATTHEW RELIEF

While the UNC and UNC Pembroke teams are facing off on the court, the universities, in coordination with Harris Teeter's Million Meals Challenge, will team up for a food drive to benefit those in eastern North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Matthew.

UNC Pembroke, Carolina's sister institution, is one of several communities still cleaning up, restocking and rebuilding after historic flooding in October. Donations of canned goods, cleaning supplies and non-perishable food items collected during the game will be distributed to Second Harvest Food Bank, which serves UNC Pembroke and neighboring communities.

“The Pembroke area was greatly affected by the hurricane and we can all help with recovery efforts by participating in a food drive at our basketball game on Nov. 4 against UNC Pembroke,” said Carolina head coach Roy Williams. “I encourage our fans who are attending the game to bring canned goods, cleaning supplies and non-perishable food items. Let's all pitch in to help our neighbors and bring them some critically needed relief.”