North Carolina’s exhibition schedule ended Tuesday night with an 89-82 win over Charlotte, but the result did little to hide what has become the Tar Heels’ clearest preseason problem. They needed a lifeline at the end of regulation just to reach overtime, and the bigger takeaway from the night was not the score - it was the same issue that has been showing up all month: UNC is getting pushed around inside.
That shortage of muscle has been a problem on both ends of the floor, and it has been especially obvious on the glass. Over three exhibition games, North Carolina finished with a minus-14 rebounding margin.
The Tar Heels also gave up 44 offensive rebounds and 38 second-chance points in that stretch. Getting controlled on the boards by Indiana is one thing.
Letting Charlotte do it is a far worse sign.
Michael Malone has spent much of the offseason saying he wants the offense to flow from the defense. That idea only works if the defense can actually finish possessions, and right now UNC is not doing that. On Tuesday, Sayon Keita and Jarin Stevenson each grabbed just two rebounds, a number that stands out even more when measured against the frontcourts around the ACC.
The Tar Heels’ roster construction explains part of the issue. North Carolina leaned early in the offseason on perimeter and wing additions through the transfer portal, then looked overseas once the frontcourt board thinned out.
That led to the additions of Keita and Greek center Alexandros Samodurov. Before them, North Carolina added Northwestern transfer Cade Bennerman, who redshirted his freshman season in 2025.
Bennerman did not play a single minute in the preseason, while Keita and Samodurov both saw significant minutes and revealed how much experience and force this group still lacks.
The other problem is that the offense has become too perimeter-heavy. Without a true post threat, UNC has been leaning on outside shots far more than it should.
Keita still has work to do as an offensive player, and Samodurov looks more comfortable at power forward. That has left the Tar Heels without a center who can consistently give guards a reliable target inside and score with his back to the basket.
That imbalance showed up in the shooting numbers. North Carolina hit 43.1 percent from the field across the three exhibition games, and the offense spent too much time settling for difficult, low-percentage looks.
There is one obvious fix, though it comes with a catch. North Carolina signed South Dakota transfer Cameron Fens, a seven-footer who weighed in at 255 pounds and averaged 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in 2025 while shooting 57.8 percent from the field.
He is seeking a fifth year of eligibility, but for now he remains ineligible to play games. That ruling could still change.
With the regular season less than a week away, the uncertainty around Fens matters. If he is cleared soon, a lot of these problems suddenly look far less severe. His size, experience and physicality are exactly what North Carolina is missing right now.
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 🡒]