Michael Malone during the October 6, 2026 game between North Carolina and USC. Getty
It may be the preseason, but North Carolina isn’t giving its fans much hope. The Tar Heels trailed 36-33 at halftime during their final preseason game against Charlotte. UNC trailed by as many as 15 points on Tuesday before pulling back to three points.
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Early North Carolina Struggles
GettyMichael Malone in the October, 2026 game between North Carolina and USC.
As previously mentioned, the Tar Heels fell behind by double-digit points on Tuesday. Charlotte’s Keyshaun Tillery was the problem, scoring 16 points. No other player who took the court for the 49ers scored more than six points.
North Carolina only committed two personal fouls, compared to Carolina’s eight. The 49ers still tried to take a free throw. Where visitors have made their mark is depth. Charlotte scored nine points on the bench, while the Tar Heels scored none.
In silver linings for UNC, Terrence Brown carried the offense en route to 12 points. No other Tar Heel scored more than six points in this matchup. North Carolina shot 39.3% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range. In comparison, Charlotte connected on 45.5% of its field goal attempts.
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New head coach Michael Malone needs to make some midseason adjustments if the Tar Heels are going to win.
Tar Heels Rally Late
It wasn’t all bad news for North Carolina to start this game. After missing in the first, the Heels managed to score an unspeakable nine points before dusk. A three-pointer from Maximo Adams, an immediate bomber, was able to give this group some life in the second half.
Another area where UNC will need to improve is on the glass. Charlotte is outrebounding North Carolina by a margin of 20 to 17. That’s not the biggest advantage for the 49ers, but it’s still frustrating for the home crowd. Seven-foot center Sayon Keita snagged one board in just five minutes of play.
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If this event holds, the supporters on Chapel Hill will surely shout their dismay. Even if North Carolina pulls off a victory, that’s not the kind of work you want to see just days before the season.
This article was first published in GRAVIS
North Carolina Club Struggles In First Half vs. Charlotte appeared for the first time in GRAVITY.