Report: FIU won't play Tar Heels

MIAMI, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Florida International officials are backing out of a basketball game against national champion North Carolina, the Miami Herald said.

The contest at Chapel Hill Nov. 9 is slated to be a part of the 12-team Coaches versus Cancer tournament classic this winter, but FIU thought it was supposed to face Ohio State.

An e-mail from the Gazelle Group, the tournament's sponsor, to FIU assistant coach Anthony Anderson, obtained by the newspaper Tuesday, said because of scheduling conflicts, the Golden Panthers needed to switch their first-round opponent to UNC.

Athletic Director Pete Garcia told the newspaper if FIU does not play Ohio State then it will play somebody else.

"I had no idea (about the change)," new FIU Coach Isiah Thomas said. "No one contacted me or our athletic director, no one. Maybe in 2010, 2011 we can play North Carolina, but not this year."