North Carolina Struggles During First Half vs. Charlotte

Michael Malone during an October 6th, 2026 game between North Carolina and USC. Getty

It may be the preseason, but North Carolina isn’t giving its fans much reason for optimism. The Tar Heels are trailing 36-33 at halftime during their final preseason contest against Charlotte. UNC trailed by as many as 15 points on Tuesday before rallying back to a three-point deficit.

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North Carolina Struggles Early

GettyMichael Malone during an October 6th, 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 a problem, racking up 16 points. No other player that’s taken the court for the 49ers has scored more than six points.

North Carolina has only committed two personal fouls, compared to Charlotte’s eight. The 49ers have yet to take a free-throw attempt. Where the visitors have made their mark is depth. Charlotte has racked up nine points off the bench, while the Tar Heels have gotten none.

If there’s a silver lining for UNC, Terrence Brown has carried the offense en route to 12 points. No other Tar Heel has notched more than six points in this matchup. North Carolina is shooting 39.3% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range. In comparison, Charlotte has connected on 45.5% of its field goal attempts.

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New head coach Michael Malone may need to make some adjustments at halftime if the Tar Heels are going to earn a win.

Tar Heels Rally Late

It wasn’t all bad news for North Carolina to start this game. After getting into their early deficit, the Heels managed to reel off nine unanswered points prior to the break. A three-pointer from Maximo Adams right at the buzzer could give this group some life during the second half.

Another area where UNC will need to improve is on the glass. Charlotte is out-rebounding North Carolina by a margin of 20 to 17. That’s not an overwhelming advantage for the 49ers, but it’s still disappointing for the home crowd. Seven-foot…

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Publish date : 2026-10-28 03:45:00

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