North Carolina got its first preseason look Friday night in Greensboro, and the exhibition against USC offered an early snapshot of a roster that looks very different under a new head coach. With three preseason games on the schedule before the November 2 opener, the Tar Heels used the night to sort through what’s working and what still needs time.
Some players left a clear mark. Others didn’t.
Jarin Stevenson was the biggest winner of the night. The senior forward, one of three returners from last season, looked like a centerpiece for this group and turned in what was arguably his best showing at the college level, even with the preseason caveat attached.
He finished with a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds, both game highs. If that kind of production holds, Stevenson won’t just matter for UNC - he could become one of the ACC’s breakout names.
Isaiah Denis also made a strong early statement. After barely seeing the floor as a freshman, he came into this season with something to prove, and his first exhibition chance suggested he’s ready for a bigger role.
Coming off the bench, Denis scored 14 points and made his presence felt on both ends. It backed up the praise Michael Malone and his staff had given him over the summer, and it gave UNC another player who looks capable of handling real rotation minutes.
Maximo Adams added to the positive side of the ledger as well. He showed off the kind of versatility that made him a five-star prospect out of high school, working across multiple positions, knocking down shots from different spots and helping on the glass. The takeaway from Friday was hard to miss: Adams is going to play, and probably a lot.
The concerns came in the backcourt. Terrence Brown and Matt Able combined for just five points on 2-for-8 shooting, with all of Brown’s scoring coming late.
UNC still won by double digits, but that production from the guard duo stood out for the wrong reasons. It’s only one exhibition, and preseason games can get strange, but the level of offensive impact from Brown and Able simply wasn’t there in Greensboro.
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UNCs First Malone Rotation Hint Should Grab Tar Heels Fans Attention
Michael Malone wasted little time using North Carolinas exhibition against USC to see what kind of combinations might actually fit once the games start counting. The Tar Heels cycled through 24 different five-man lineups, a clear sign that the new coach is still probing the edges of his roster and trying to figure out which groups can provide the best balance. The starting five of Terrence Brown, Matt Able, Neo Avdalas, Jarin Stevenson and Sayon Keita saw the most action, with a version that included freshman Maximo Adams close behind.
Even in a night filled with experimentation, Jarin Stevenson stood out as the one constant, logging the most minutes and showing up in the majority of the lineups Malone tried. Isaiah Denis also earned significant run, another clue that the rotation picture is still very much taking shape. For a team in search of early identity under a new coach, the exhibition offered a useful first look, but it also left the most important question hanging: which of these combinations will still matter when the season truly begins? [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Showed Off New Depth In Michael Malones First UNC Test
Michael Malones first test on the North Carolina sideline came with a reminder that preseason games can still tell a useful story. In an 88-70 exhibition win over Southern Cal, the Tar Heels got contributions from a deeper group than many expected, with Jarin Stevenson, Isaiah Denis, Maximo Adams and Neo Avdalas all giving Carolina a reason to feel better about its rotation before the games start to count.
The night also had a few of those early-season flashes that tend to stick with a coach, none better than Sayon Keita jumping a passing lane for a steal and finishing with a dunk. Both teams were missing key players because of injury or eligibility, so the real value for Carolina was less about the final score than the way new faces handled a bigger stage, and how much more depth Malone may have to work with than first assumed. [Read more 🡒]
Isaiah Denis Just Gave UNC Fans A Reason To Reconsider Him
Isaiah Denis used an exhibition game to make his case for a bigger role in a Carolina rotation that still has plenty of questions under new coach Michael Malone. In 20 minutes, Denis delivered 14 points, four rebounds and a pair of 3-pointers, a sharp showing from a player whose minutes were limited last season because of injury and who now looks much more like part of the conversation than an afterthought.
Denis said the game felt personal, and his response fit the moment. He pointed to Malones trust and coaching style as part of the reason for the jump, while Malone praised Denis development and his choice to stay with the program through the coaching changes. For Tar Heel fans trying to figure out which returning pieces can matter in this new era, Denis just gave them one name worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]