North Carolina’s preseason finale had a little bit of everything Tuesday night in Chapel Hill: a packed Dean Dome, a new face on the sideline in Michael Malone, and a game that nearly slipped away before the Tar Heels finally finished the job.
UNC edged Charlotte 89-82 in overtime, surviving a much tighter contest than the result of the Trojans game suggested after the Tar Heels opened preseason play with an 18-point win over USC. This one was messy for long stretches. North Carolina fell behind by 14 early, spent part of the first half shooting under 25 percent, and had to claw its way back late just to force extra time.
Terrence Brown was the difference. In front of his new home crowd, he finished with 27 points, leading all scorers and providing the kind of late-game production North Carolina will need once games count for real. Brown knocked down the game-tying free throw late in regulation after a Charlotte mental blunder, then added the Tar Heels’ final three points in overtime.
UNC’s trip to the line was both a lifeline and a problem. The Tar Heels missed 10 free throws, but they still used the stripe to extend the game.
Charlotte, meanwhile, hit 14 of 18 from the charity stripe. North Carolina also had issues on the offensive glass and gave up too many second-chance points, though it did finish well around the basket and limited the 49ers to just two overtime makes.
The Tar Heels now turn to the games that count, starting Monday at 7 p.m. against Western Carolina in the regular season opener. Before that, here are five takeaways from the preseason finale.
Terrence Brown looks ready to be the closer
If North Carolina needs someone to take over late, Tuesday showed exactly who that player is supposed to be. Brown more than doubled his scoring total from UNC’s first two preseason games, and he did it by taking on the biggest moments without hesitation.
He made nine shots and seven free throws, then handled the pressure sequence that sent the game to overtime before finishing it off in the extra period. Brown was brought in for his scoring, and that part of the evaluation looks pretty clear already.
UNC needs more help inside
Sayon Keita gives North Carolina a real starting center, but the Tar Heels can’t expect him to carry everything by himself. Jarin Stevenson can slide to the 5 when needed, and 6-foot-11 forward Alex Samodurov gives UNC another option there.
Still, Cameron Fens remains ineligible, and Cade Bennerman has not appeared in any of the three preseason games. With those two unavailable, North Carolina needs more answers around Keita in the paint.
Jaydon Young keeps trending the right way
Young’s role last season was limited - 7.2 minutes per game, four starts in 31 appearances and 1.8 points per game. But the senior guard from Goldsboro, who grew up a Tar Heels fan, showed much more punch in the preseason.
He scored 25 points across the three exhibition games and led UNC’s bench with 11 on Tuesday, his second-highest total in Carolina Blue. If that kind of production holds, he becomes a real weapon whether Malone starts him or keeps him as a reserve.
The free throws still need work
North Carolina did enough at the line to survive, but not enough to feel good about it. The Tar Heels went 17 of 27 from the charity stripe, and that kind of waste can leave a game hanging by a thread.
The late free throws were enough to push Tuesday’s matchup into overtime, but the overall number left points behind that UNC can’t afford to lose more often.
This roster has plenty of lineup flexibility
Malone has options, and that matters. Stevenson can handle every position from 1 through 5.
Avdalas brings a 6-foot-9 guard’s size and a major rebounding edge. Matt Able is a tall guard, while Maximo Adams and Kevin Thomas can both play as either guards or forwards.
That kind of versatility gives North Carolina the ability to mix and match depending on the matchup, and it can make life difficult for opposing teams trying to sort out the Tar Heels’ rotations.
In Other News...
Bill Belichick's Real Power At UNC May Be Coming Into Focus
North Carolinas front office reshuffling has turned into one of the more revealing storylines around the Tar Heels football program. The school suspended Michael Lombardi from his general manager role on July 27 amid an HR investigation, and he formally resigned in early September, leaving the program to sort through a job that has become increasingly important as college football keeps borrowing more from the pro model.
The search for a replacement is already underway, with former Michigan GM Sean Magee helping consult on the process. What makes the next hire especially interesting is the possibility that the role could be built to report to both athletic director Steve Newmark and head coach Bill Belichick, a structure that would say a lot about how much influence Belichick is expected to wield in Chapel Hill and how UNC wants its football operation to function moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Downs Just Put UNC Fans On Trade Watch
The NFL trade market has started to swirl around a familiar name for North Carolina fans, with former Tar Heels wide receiver Josh Downs now asking the Colts for a move. Downs is in the final year of his rookie contract, and his name has already been floating in trade talk as Indianapolis continues to reshape its roster with a string of notable departures, including Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner. For UNC supporters, it is another reminder of how quickly the NFL side of the pipeline can turn into a waiting game.
Downs has long been one of the more recognizable Carolina receivers to follow at the next level, and his situation now sits in the same conversation as teammate Jonathan Taylor. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, have their own receiver story unfolding back in Chapel Hill with Jordan Shipp and the broader push to keep that position producing at a high level. For a fan base that tracks both the college and pro arcs closely, this is the kind of roster-watch wrinkle that can change the mood around a Friday night or Sunday afternoon in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Misses On Five-Star As This Recruitment Slipped Away Fast
North Carolina had a real shot in the mix for five-star prospect Asa Montgomery, but the rising 2027 guard is headed to Duke instead, narrowing one of the more closely watched recruiting battles on the board. Montgomery picked the Blue Devils over a group that included UNC, UConn, Georgia Tech and LSU, a reminder of how quickly elite recruiting can turn when a player starts separating himself from the pack.
For the Tar Heels, the miss adds another layer to a rivalry that tends to show up in the recruiting lanes long before it ever reaches the court. Dukes class keeps building around top-end talent, while UNC now has to keep pressing ahead with other targets and make up ground elsewhere in a cycle where every high-end decision matters. [Read more 🡒]