North Carolina scraped by Western Carolina with an 80-72 win in Michael Malone’s coaching debut, but trust me, Tar Heel fans shouldn’t be popping champagne. This wasn’t some triumphant first step, it was an alarming opening test against a team picked to finish eighth in the SoCon and that entered as 22-point underdogs. The Catamounts pushed UNC to the absolute brink, making this “win” feel more like a bullet dodged.
Ugly Slog Against a Feisty Underdog
The Tar Heels actually started strong, jumping out to a 10-0 lead thanks to eight straight points from NC State transfer Matt Able. For a moment, it looked like this was going to be the easy, confidence-boosting start everyone expected, especially considering UNC smashed Western Carolina 104-61 back in December 2017. Instead, the Catamounts clawed back, cutting UNC’s lead to just one point not once, but twice, in the second half. It was a proper slugfest. Malone’s squad didn’t get any breathing room until Western Carolina’s lead guard, Jaeden Roberts, fouled out with 5:57 left on the clock. Then, moments later, a questionable over-the-back call on Western Carolina wiped off a putback, immediately followed by a technical foul on the Catamounts. By the time the free throws were done, that whole sequence created a massive 6-point swing at the 5:25 mark, extending UNC’s lead to 69-62. Without Roberts, Western Carolina just couldn’t mount another full comeback, and Malone avoided a catastrophic opening night loss. While other unranked high-major teams with first-year coaches like NC State, Syracuse, and Providence all cruised to easy wins in their buy games, North Carolina’s ugly performance made them a clear outlier.
Rebounding Woes Are a Blaring Siren
The real problem here, the one that should have everyone in Chapel Hill worried, is North Carolina’s absolute struggle on the offensive glass. This isn’t just a one-off issue from Malone’s debut; these fears were already bubbling after their 2-1 exhibition slate included an uncomfortable overtime win against Charlotte. In that exhibition game, UNC was outworked 12-6 on offensive rebounds, giving Charlotte a decisive 18-10 advantage in second-chance points. Western Carolina followed the exact same blueprint, dominating UNC 13-7 on offensive boards, which led to a 13-8 advantage in second-chance points for the Catamounts. You’ve got starting center Sayon Keita, who boasts a ridiculous 7-foot-7 wingspan, but it’s obvious he hasn’t figured out how to use it yet. Both Keita and starting power forward Jarin Stevenson finished the game with just four rebounds apiece. This team is clearly not getting it done on the boards, and it’s putting them in seriously uncomfortable situations against opponents they should be handling easily.
This season is just getting started, but the early signs for Michael Malone’s new regime at North Carolina are far from promising. If they can’t get their rebounding in order, this “ugly win” could be a preview of a long, frustrating season. They need to figure this out, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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