UNC-Western Carolina Postgame Notes - University of North Carolina Athletics

POSTGAME NOTES
UNC 80, WESTERN CAROLINA 72
11/2/2026
CHAPEL HILL

UNC Scoring Leader: Matt Able 18
UNC Rebound Leader: Neo Avdalas 7
UNC Assist Leader: Avdalas, Isaiah Denis 4
Team Records: UNC 1-0, WCU 0-1

• Carolina won its first game under head coach Michael Malone.
• Carolina's first points of the season and the Malone era were a pair of free throws by Terrence Brown 1:07 into the game.
• The first field goal was a three by Matt Able.
• Able led the Tar Heels with 18 points, one shy of his career high. It was his 15th career game in double figures.
• Four Tar Heels scored in double figures – Able (18), Terrence Brown (14), Neo Avdalas (13) and Maximo Adams (10).
• Seven individuals played in their first games as a Tar Heel – Able, Adams, Avdalas, Angelo Brizzi, Brown, Sayon Keita and Alex Samodurov. Adams and Keita are true freshmen, Samodurov is an international who is classified as a junior; the others transferred to UNC from U.S. college teams.
• Keita became the 41st Tar Heel to start his first game as a true freshman since first-year players became eligible in 1972. He led both teams in plus/minus at plus 14.
• Carolina never trailed and led by as many as 13 points several times in the second half.
• UNC led by nine (39-30) at halftime after not leading at the half in any of its three preseason games.
• The Tar Heels were 25 for 35 from the free throw line (the teams combined to shoot 47 for 62 from the line). The 25 makes and 35 attempts were the most by Carolina in a season opener since the Tar Heels went 33 for 43 from the line in the 1993-94 opener against Western Kentucky.
• The 25 made free throws and 35 attempts were the most in any game since UNC shot 25 for 35 in the home win over Syracuse last February 2.
• The coaches selected Brown as the Tar Heels' defensive player of the game.
• Isaiah Denis and Avdalas shared the team lead with four assists. Denis, a sophomore, led or co-led UNC for the first time in assists.
• Carolina is 105-12 in season-opening games.
• The Tar Heels have won 22 consecutive season openers since a loss to Santa Clara in Oakland to begin the 2004-05 national championship season.
• UNC has won 25 straight home openers.
• The Tar Heels are 3-0 against Western Carolina, including 2-0 in Chapel Hill.
• Carolina is 508-90 all-time in the Smith Center, including 242-19 against non-conference opponents.

Next Game: Friday, November 6 vs. Wofford in Chapel Hill, 7 p.m. (ACC Network)

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Players Mentioned

Matt Able

Maximo Adams

Neo Avdalas

Angelo Brizzi

Terrence Brown

Isaiah Denis

Sayon Keita

Alex Samodurov

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