North Carolina’s preseason hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride, and the latest exhibition only sharpened the biggest question hanging over the Tar Heels: who should have the ball when the game is on the line?
After a rough showing against Indiana a week earlier, UNC had a chance to steady itself against Wes Miller’s Charlotte team. Instead, the Heels were pushed into overtime at home before finally coming away with the win. For a game that should have been more comfortable, it turned into another uneasy look at where this team stands before the season starts.
But there was value in the chaos. The back-and-forth finish gave Malone a live audition for late-game situations, the kind that can reveal a lot more than a preseason score ever will. And it also offered a clearer picture of which player this offense should lean on when everything tightens up.
That player looked a lot like Terrence Brown.
The senior guard shook off a slow start and finished with 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting, giving UNC the kind of perimeter creation it had been missing earlier in the preseason. Brown wasn’t just scoring for himself, either. He kept pressure on Charlotte’s defense by attacking the lane, and that opened the floor for others to get clean looks from deep.
He also showed he can handle the physical side of crunch time. Brown got to the free-throw line repeatedly, especially after halftime, and went 6-for-8 from the stripe in the second half. Then, in overtime, he sealed the night with a dagger three-pointer to officially put Charlotte away.
It was a far better outing than UNC’s first two preseason games, and for Tar Heels fans, it brought some relief after the early concerns. More importantly, it gave Malone something concrete to weigh as the season approaches.
If Brown keeps producing at this level, the answer to who closes games for UNC basketball starts to feel obvious. He has the scoring ability, the shot creation and the composure to be the offense’s anchor when the final possession matters most. If he settles into that role, he could end up shaping just how high this Carolina team can climb this season.
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UNC Freshman Nyqir Helton May Be Forcing His Way Onto The Field
Nyqir Heltons name is getting harder to keep off the field. The true freshman wide receiver made his first career start for North Carolina against Syracuse, and it came because of what he had been doing in practice, not because of a teammates absence. For a young receiver trying to earn trust early in Chapel Hill, that kind of opportunity usually says as much about the week-to-week grind as it does about game day.
Helton responded by playing a career-high 67 snaps, a sign that the staff is finding more reasons to lean on him. His development has been steady, built through practice work, scout team reps and the developmental setting of Sunday Night Football. For UNC, the bigger question now is not whether Helton can get on the field, but how quickly his rise turns from a promising burst into a regular part of the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Is Closing In On A Recruit Tar Heels Fans Will Obsess Over
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UNC earned plenty of momentum after hosting Henry for his final official visit, a trip that reportedly included a call from Michael Jordan. Recent reports and predictions have leaned toward North Carolina as the favorite, which has only added to the anticipation around the programs push for a player who would instantly become one of the biggest recruiting wins in the class if the Tar Heels can finish the job. [Read more 🡒]
UNC's Frontcourt Problem Is Still Hanging Over The Season Opener
Cameron Fens has been around North Carolinas practice floor, but the transfer forward still cannot yet give the Tar Heels what they need most as the season opener approaches. He remains ineligible to play while NCAA eligibility questions tied to ongoing lawsuits are sorted out, leaving UNC to plan without a frontcourt piece it expected to have in the mix.
Michael Malone has already voiced frustration with the delay, and the uncertainty has lingered long enough to shape the early feel of the season. Fens has not appeared in exhibition games, and with no final NCAA ruling in hand, his status for opening night remains one of the biggest unresolved questions hanging over the Tar Heels. [Read more 🡒]