UNC gets one last dress rehearsal tonight before the games start counting for real next week against Western Carolina, and the Tar Heels will use it to clean up whatever is still shaky. Charlotte is the opponent, and the matchup comes with a built-in reunion: the 49ers are led by former Tar Heels and former Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller, with Marcus Paige also along for the ride as an assistant after previously working under Hubert Davis before Davis was let go.
For UNC, the bigger storyline is less about the opponent and more about sorting out the rotation and the ballhandling. Terrence Brown is still the key name to get into game shape, and that applies to the backcourt as a whole.
Neo Avdalas and Matt Able have flashed at times, but both are still pretty raw. Avdalas and Brown should split some of the on-ball duties depending on the action, though Avdalas does appear to be the primary point guard.
Brown, meanwhile, hasn’t really shown much in terms of facilitation yet, which may be by design. It’s also possible Avdalas is simply the main option there, with Isaiah Denis backing him up.
Denis is another question mark. At the time of writing, there was no update on his status, even though he’s been described as a seemingly improved point guard. He probably doesn’t need the minutes in a game like this, but it would still have been useful to see him get some live reps outside of practice.
Either way, this is the final exhibition or preseason game of the season, depending on which label you want to use. The game will stream on ACC Network Extra, not a traditional TV channel.
In Other News...
UNC Freshman Nyqir Helton May Be Forcing His Way Onto The Field
Nyqir Heltons first career start for North Carolina came against Syracuse, and it was earned the old-fashioned way. The true freshman wide receiver got the nod because of what he had shown in practice, not because of an opening created by someone else, a sign that the Tar Heels are beginning to trust him as more than just a long-term project.
Helton has been building toward this moment through steady work in practice, scout team reps and the programs developmental Sunday Night Football sessions, and the payoff was a career-high 67 snaps. For a young receiver trying to carve out a role, that kind of usage says plenty about where he stands right now, even if his path to a permanent spot is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Have One More Home Test With ACC Stakes Rising
No. 2 Carolinas womens soccer team gets one last chance to protect its home ground when SMU comes to town for the final regular-season game in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels have turned their home field into a reliable advantage all season, going 8-1 there, and they enter the matchup sitting atop the ACC standings at 6-1 as the pressure around the conference race keeps building.
Bella Devey has been the main finishing threat, leading the team with 16 goals, while Peyton Trayer has anchored things in net with 10 wins. With senior-day type emotions and league positioning both in play, this one offers Carolina a chance to close out its home schedule on a strong note before the bigger tests ahead. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Heads Into No. 1 Miami With A Pressure Point Fans Feel
North Carolina heads into a matchup with No. 1 Miami carrying more than just the usual road-game pressure. The Tar Heels have spent the week trying to steady an offense that has leaned heavily on Drake Edwards Jr., even as his recent struggles have helped fuel losses and put a spotlight on his role moving forward. For a team trying to keep pace in the ACC race, this is the kind of game where every possession feels magnified.
Miami brings the sort of attack that can expose any hesitation, with Darian Mensah directing the offense and Toney giving the Hurricanes another dangerous target on the outside. North Carolinas defense has already shown some cracks against the run and in the secondary, which makes the challenge even steeper as the Tar Heels try to avoid getting stretched on both sides of the ball. However this one unfolds, it has the feel of a game that could sharpen the conversation around where UNC stands right now and where it goes next. [Read more 🡒]