UNC Basketball
Complete coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball.
Lucas: Begin Again
Starting over was different then. Roy Williams had a boatload of returning players, including Raymond Felton,
Jawad Williams, and Sean May. Jackie had a posse.
David Noel was better known as a wide receiver.
Michael Malone didn't inherit quite the same roster. In this era, the coach and the roster are new together. They looked like it for part of Monday night. (
GoHeels.com)
Michael Malone gets win No. 1 at blueblood North Carolina. It wasn’t an easy night
Michael Malone walked into a room of reporters after a tougher-than-expected win in his coaching debut at UNC, then offered a quip that captured the mood. "You guys have as much fun as I did? Welcome to the roller coaster." The man who coached the Denver Nuggets to an NBA championship had just watched his Tar Heels beat Western Carolina 80-72. (
Associated Press)
Video: UNC Basketball Players Post-Western Carolina Interviews
Maxi Adams,
Matt Able, Neo Avdalas, and
Terrence Brown speak with reporters following the Tar Heels' 80-72 season-opening victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts on Monday night at the Smith Center.
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View Video)
Tue Nov 3, 2026
Box Score: North Carolina 80, Western Carolina 72
View the complete box score from the North Carolina Tar Heels' 80-72 season-opening victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts on Monday night at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill. (
View Box Score)
Mon Nov 2, 2026
Video: Michael Malone Post-Western Carolina Press Conference
North Carolina head men's basketball coach
Michael Malone speaks with the media following the Tar Heels' 80-72 victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts on Monday night in Chapel Hill.
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View Video)
Mon Nov 2, 2026
Video: Tar Heels Top Catamounts to Open Regular Season, 80-72 - Highlights
North Carolina got 18 points from
Matt Able, led from start to finish and held off a pesky Western Carolina squad, 80-72, on Monday night in the Smith Center in
Michael Malone's first official game as the Tar Heel head coach. Check out the highlights.
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View Video)
Mon Nov 2, 2026
Lucas: North Carolina vs. Western Carolina Rapid Reactions
It's always nice to be undefeated. UNC is 1-0 after a 80-72 win over Western Carolina in the season opener. Nice moment after the game, as
Michael Malone was presented with the game ball by athletic director Steve Newmark and another guy who knows a little something about winning at the Smith Center--
Roy Williams.
Matt Able led UNC with 18 points. (
GoHeels.com)
Michael Malone says Tar Heels need to trust each other as they work through issues
These Tar Heels are clearly a work in progress and are lucky to begin the season with a
soft schedule. In the meantime, Coach
Michael Malone says his team will have to trust each other and accept that a different player might lead the way on any given night. "When we stop trusting, we look like a team that is just not operating on the same page." (
Tar Heel Tribune)
UNC wins Michael Malone’s coaching debut by beating Western Carolina 80-72
Matt Able scored 18 points and North Carolina make a decisive push in the final six minutes to win
Michael Malone’s coaching debut by beating Western Carolina 80-72 on Monday.
Terrence Brown scored 14 points while Neo Avdalas added 13 for the Tar Heels, who used a 13-2 run to finally shake free and build a double-digit lead against the pesky Catamounts. (
Associated Press)
Michael Malone Era Set To Begin Officially Monday vs. Western Carolina - Pregame Notes
The 117th season of Carolina basketball begins Monday, when the Tar Heels host Western Carolina in the Smith Center at 7 p.m. Malone is the first individual to lead UNC as head coach without having played for the Tar Heels or been an assistant coach with the program since
Frank McGuire took the helm in 1952. UNC is 104-12 in season-openers. (
GoHeels.com)