UNC vs. USC live updates: Score, highlights, predictions, analysis

College basketball is BACK! Tonight at 7 p.m., the UNC men’s basketball team begins its Michael Malone era vs. the Eric Musselman-led USC Trojans.

North Carolina’s once-promising, 2025-26 campaign ended with a 19-point collapse vs. VCU to open the NCAA Tournament. Less than a week later, the Tar Heels fired Hubert Davis and, less than a month after that devastating loss, hired Malone.

Advertisement

Friday will be Malone’s first game as a collegiate head coach, but he previously spent time as an assistant at Oakland (MI), Providence and Manhattan. Malone was an NBA head coach for 12 years, amassing 510 wins and the 2023 NBA Championship.

UNC re-loaded its roster, going heavy on transfer portal additions. Malone showcased his expertise in working with international players, landing Sayon Keita (FC Barcelona) and Alexandros Samodurov (Panathinaikos), while getting high school recruits like Maximo Adams to stay in Chapel Hill. Jarin Stevenson headlines a 3-man group returning from last year’s roster, but no one is guaranteed playing time on North Carolina’s 2026-27 roster.

Get real-time updates, scoring plays, turning points, and expert analysis throughout UNC’s preseason basketball clash with USC. Follow along here for highlights, injury news, key plays and instant breakdown as the Tar Heels face the Trojans.

1 / 14

UNC Basketball: Photos from Senior Night win over Clemson

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Brad Brownell reacts to a call during the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

(Scott Kinser, Scott Kinser-Imagn Images)

1 / 14

UNC Basketball: Photos from Senior Night win over Clemson

Mar 3, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Brad Brownell reacts to a call during the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

(Scott Kinser, Scott Kinser-Imagn Images)

2 / 14

UNC Basketball:…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/unc-vs-usc-live-updates-220116646.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-10-09 22:01:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.