The nation?s two winningest programs meet Saturday at famed Rupp Arena when Kentucky hosts North Carolina. The schools own a combined 3,673 wins, 79 NCAA Tournament appearances and 10 national championships.

Kentucky has long owned the title of the nation’s all-time winningest team. But following a 13-19 Wildcat season in 1989, the Tar Heels overtook UK on Jan. 3, 1990 with a 90-78 win over Old Dominion. The Wildcats reclaimed the lead during the 1996 championship run with an 83-63 victory over Wake Forest in the Midwest Regional Championship. UK currently owns a 1,857-1,816 wins advantage over UNC.

This game is the fourth contest of a six-year, home-and-home contract between the two schools and the second meeting in Rupp Arena. It marks the first time that Roy Williams, who is in his first season as head coach of the Heels, has coached in Rupp since his Kansas Jayhawks were handed an 88-71 loss on Dec. 8, 1990.

The Wildcats are just one week from the start of Southeastern Conference play. Kentucky enjoys a final mid-week break before playing host to Vanderbilt on Jan. 10 to tip off its league season. Last season, UK went 19-0 against conference opponents.

The North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina enters Rupp Arena with an 8-1 record, identical to Kentucky?s start. UNC?s only loss of the season came in an early conference match against Wake Forest on Dec. 20. The teams battled to three overtimes before the 14th-ranked Demon Deacons escaped with a 119-114 victory.

Sophomore Rashad McCants leads five players averaging in double figures with 19.0 ppg. Close behind is Jawad Williams, who recently suffered a concussion and is questionable for the game. He averages 18.1 ppg.

Tubby vs. Tar Heels, Roy vs. Wildcats

Tubby Smith is 3-1 against North Carolina, including a 3-0 mark while at UK and an 0-1 record while head coach at Georgia.

Roy Williams is 1-3 against Kentucky, with all four games coming while he was head coach at Kansas.

The two have matched wits twice before, with Smith?s Kentucky teams coming out on top both times. UK defeated Kansas, 63-45, in Chicago on Dec. 1, 1998. Later that same season, the Cats ended the Jayhawks? season with a 92-88, overtime win in the NCAA Tournament second round in New Orleans.

Series History

This marks the 26th meeting between the nation?s two winningest programs. The Tar Heels lead the series, which dates back to the 1924 season, 16-9, but UK has won all three meetings in the renewed series.

North Carolina had won six consecutive games in the series before UK shocked the Heels in Chapel Hill on Dec. 2, 2000, 93-76, for the second-worst defeat in Dean Dome history. Two years ago, Tayshaun Prince ripped off five consecutive three-pointers to open the game, including one from 30 feet, en route to the 79-59 victory in Lexington.

Last season in Chapel Hill, Gerald Fitch posted a then-career-high 25 points while guiding UK to the 98-81 victory. With Marquis Estill scoring all 20 of his points in the second half and Keith Bogans adding 20, it marked the first time since 1990 that three Wildcats scored 20 or more points.

History and Tradition Clash

Kentucky and North Carolina rank among the elite in college basketball. Examples include:

All-Time Victories

 1. Kentucky 1,857 2. North Carolina 1,816

All-Time Winning Percentage

 1. Kentucky 76.4%(1,857-572-1) 2. North Carolina 73.1% (1,816-667)

NCAA Championships

 1. UCLA 11 2. Kentucky 7 3. Indiana 5 4. North Carolina 3

NCAA Final Fours

 1. North Carolina 15 2. UCLA 14 3. Kentucky 13

Final Four Wins

 1. UCLA 24 2. Kentucky 17 3. Duke 14 4. Indiana 12 5. North Carolina 11

NCAA Tournament Appearances

 1. Kentucky 44 2. UCLA 37 3. North Carolina 35

NCAA Tournament Games

 1. Kentucky 131 2. North Carolina 116

NCAA Tournament Wins

 1. Kentucky 92 2. North Carolina 81