North Carolina opened the season with a win, holding off Western Carolina 80-72 in Chapel Hill to move to 1-0.
The night also brought a fitting postgame scene for Michael Malone, who received the game ball from athletic director Steve Newmark and Roy Williams, a familiar winner at the Smith Center.
Matt Able paced the Tar Heels with 18 points and gave Carolina a steady scoring lift on the perimeter and at the rim. He knocked down two three-pointers, went 4-for-4 on two-point attempts, and finished 4-for-6 at the foul line.
His driving layup with four minutes left helped create some breathing room. Able remains Carolina’s most dangerous shooter from outside, but he was even more effective when he attacked the basket.
Carolina’s issues showed up in the rebounding battle. Western Carolina finished with a 41-32 edge on the glass, and the Catamounts also won the second-chance points category 13-8. The Tar Heels managed just seven offensive rebounds on 32 missed shots, a number that left them vulnerable to a game that stayed tight longer than they would have liked.
Sayon Keita made an impact when he was on the floor, but foul trouble cut into his first half. He picked up two fouls in the opening 20 minutes and played only nine minutes before halftime, though his +8 was the team’s best first-half mark.
He ended the game at +14, easily Carolina’s top figure in that category. Even so, the Tar Heels need more from him on the boards; he finished with only two more rebounds than Wanda.
Carolina is still waiting on an eligibility ruling for Cameron Fens.
Neo Avdalas filled the box score in his usual way, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists, which tied Isaiah Denis for the team lead. He also had three turnovers. Avdalas led Carolina with six rebounds.
Maximo Adams gave the Heels a useful lift late in the first half, scoring seven points in that stretch while also adding a block and two rebounds. He finished with 10 points and four boards in 19 minutes, and his shooting was part of the package too, as he hit two of four from three-point range. With Malone stressing the need for rebounding from everyone, Adams’ work on the glass could help earn him more minutes.
Terrence Brown kept finding ways to get to the rim when Carolina needed a basket. He did it twice in late-clock situations, including a drive with 4:44 left while the Heels led by five.
That play, plus the free throw that followed, stretched the margin to eight and settled things down. Brown shot just 3-for-11 overall, but he still finished with 14 points by going 8-for-10 at the line.
Angelo Brizzi had a rough start at the stripe, going 2-for-4 in the first half, but he was the first Tar Heel out of the locker room at halftime and went straight to the free throw line to keep working. He shot 83 percent from the line last season at Buffalo and is a career 78 percent free throw shooter.
In Other News...
Former UNC Star Caleb Wilson Sent A Strong Message After Brutal Loss
Caleb Wilson has wasted no time showing why the Bulls view him as a young piece to build around. After recovering from earlier hand injuries, the former UNC standout has settled in as a productive part of Chicagos rotation, averaging 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while carrying himself like a player who expects more from himself and the group around him.
That frustration was on display after Chicagos loss to the Boston Celtics, when Wilson sent a clear message in the aftermath of a brutal defeat. He already entered the league with a strong foundation, having trained with LeBron James before his rookie season, and nights like this only sharpen the spotlight on how much the Bulls are asking of him as they try to keep moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Malone Is Already Changing UNC's Recruiting Ceiling
The early returns on Michael Malones arrival in Chapel Hill keep looking bigger than just a coaching hire. Demarcus Henry, the No. 2 player in the 2027 high school class, has committed to North Carolina, giving the Tar Heels another major recruiting win and a clear sign that Malones reputation is already carrying weight on the trail.
Henry pointed to Malones vision and winning mentality as key reasons for choosing UNC, and the NBA championship-winning coach made it clear the interest was personal. Malone attended many of Henrys games and repeatedly stressed that the forward was a priority for the program, a level of attention that can matter when elite prospects are weighing their next step. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Belichick May Have Exposed Why UNC Nearly Took Down Miami
North Carolinas near-upset of No. 1 Miami offered a pretty clear offensive blueprint, and Bill Belichick may have been the one to point it out. The Tar Heels found plenty of room to operate against a Hurricanes defense that stayed in its base look for much of the night, and Billy Edwards Jr. took advantage with 341 passing yards and four touchdowns as UNC piled up five scores against a top-ranked opponent.
The result still came down to the kind of late mistake that can swing a tight game, with a fourth-quarter fumble helping turn a winnable night into another loss. At 4-4, UNC still needs to win at least two of its remaining games to reach bowl eligibility, but the bigger ripple may be what Belichicks postgame read means for anyone else preparing to face Miami, including Notre Dame. [Read more 🡒]