North Carolina heads into Tuesday night’s matchup with Wyoming at 2-0, and the Tar Heels still have some clear areas to clean up. That makes this a good night to keep a close eye on a few players whose roles could shift depending on how things go.
The biggest spotlight falls on Keita, who may be fighting to hold onto his starting spot. The former FC Barcelona center has not given North Carolina much through the first two games, and the Tar Heels’ center rotation looks thin with Cameron Fens still ineligible to play in games.
Keita, an overseas freshman, has been pushed into a starting job at a position where North Carolina is already short-handed. Through two games, the seven-foot center is averaging 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds.
That simply hasn’t been enough. If he comes up quiet again against Wyoming, a lineup change could arrive sooner rather than later.
Another player worth tracking is Able, whose first two games have looked very different from each other. In his debut against Western Carolina, the North Carolina State transfer stole the show with 18 points and led the team.
But in the second game, he took a backseat while Terrence Brown, Maximo Adams, and Alexandros Samodurov grabbed the attention. Able was efficient last time out, going 3-of-4 from the field, but he was more passive than he was in the opener.
In that first game, he worked off the ball and created looks from the midrange and beyond the arc. Last Friday, he was more stagnant.
That said, there’s no real concern yet. Look for Malone to run half-court sets early to get Able going on the perimeter.
That matters because when Able gets involved early, it seems to change the tone for the whole group. His growth is one of the most important pieces of North Carolina’s season.
Then there’s Adams, who has been one of the early standouts for Malone and the Tar Heels. The former McDonald’s All-American has posted 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game through two contests while shooting 53.3 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three-point range.
He has played like anything but a freshman, showing the kind of composure and feel that make him look far more experienced. Adams is still coming off the bench for now, but that may not last much longer.
His minutes have climbed steadily, and another strong showing could move him into the starting five as soon as Friday, when North Carolina hosts Georgia.
In Other News...
Belichick May Be Getting A New In-State Rival Tar Heels Fans Know Well
NC State is expected to hire Philip Rivers as its next head football coach, pending approval from the universitys trustees, a move that would instantly add a familiar name to the in-state rivalry. Rivers, an NC State alum and former NFL quarterback, has spent the past few years coaching at the high school level since 2021, and his jump to the college sideline would bring a very different kind of spotlight to Raleigh.
For North Carolina, the development matters beyond the usual border-state bragging rights because Bill Belichick knows Rivers well from their NFL meetings. Belichick has already weighed in on Rivers competitiveness, which only adds to the intrigue if the hire becomes official and the rivalry gets a new face with a long football rsum behind it. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Has A Real Chance To Clinch Something At Louisville
North Carolina heads to Louisville with a straightforward goal in front of it: get one more win and become bowl-eligible. After the Tar Heels handled UConn, the program has a little momentum and a clearer sense of identity under Bill Belichick in his second season, with the discipline on both sides of the ball looking more settled than it did earlier in the year.
Billy Edwards Jr. has been a big part of that push, coming off a strong outing against UConn with 255 passing yards and three touchdowns. Now the challenge gets a little tougher on the road, where UNC can turn a solid midseason stretch into something more meaningful if it can finish the job at Louisville. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Defense Just Lost A Key Piece At The Worst Time
North Carolinas defense took a tough hit during its game against Syracuse, when linebacker Jonathan Agumadu suffered a lower-body injury that will keep him out for the rest of the 2026 season. Agumadu had become a significant part of the Tar Heels defensive rotation, so his absence leaves a noticeable void in the middle of the unit at a point when depth matters most.
Timir Hickman-Collins is among the linebackers expected to help absorb the workload from here, and UNC will need others to step forward quickly as it tries to steady the defense without one of its more reliable contributors. Injuries are part of the season, but losing a player like Agumadu now forces the Tar Heels to adjust on the fly and reshuffle a position group that had been counting on his presence. [Read more 🡒]