One Trend UNC Basketball Must Fix Before Regular Season

The preseason performances didn’t meet the expectations and anticipation surrounding the North Carolina Tar Heels this offseason.

Tuesday night was the Tar Heels’ final exhibition game, and they were tested by Charlotte in an 89-82 overtime win. Quite frankly, North Carolina was fortunate the game even went into overtime. An already embarrassing performance would have been even worse if the Tar Heels lost. A major reason North Carolina was in a tight battle throughout the game was the team’s awful start.

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During his postgame press conference, head coach Michael Malone was asked what contributed to the slow start and why that needs to improve immediately.

Malone’s Thoughts

Oct 18, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Michael Malone instructs his team against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Our guys looked a little nervous, a little shook out there,” Malone said. “There were some plays in that first half that looked like the Keystone Cops. I mean, we couldn’t dribble, we couldn’t pass, we couldn’t shoot.”

“We still have not won a first half,” Malone continued. “We’re 0 for 3 in the first half. We lost to Indiana. We lost to USC. We lost to Charlotte, and the fact that we were only down three at halftime was a miracle because we played around 15 minutes of really bad basketball. We closed the half, and I like the fact that we just stayed with it. We stayed with it, and we found a way. So, but yeah, lots to clean up.”

How Concerning Is This Development?

Last season, under Hubert Davis, North Carolina was prone to starting games extremely slowly, and that has been the case in the three preseason games. Against Charlotte, the Tar Heels opened the game missing eight of their first 10 shots and went through five minutes without a made field goal.

Oct 18, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Matt Able (3) dribbles out of…

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Publish date : 2026-10-31 12:00:00

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