Michael Malone's debut as North Carolina coach exposes issues in Tar Heels' ugly win vs. Western Carolina
CBS Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- North Carolina narrowly escaped an upset by Western Carolina, winning 80-72 despite being favored by 22 points, with the Catamounts cutting the lead to one twice in the second half.
- Key moments included the fouling out of Western Carolina's lead guard Jaeden Roberts and a controversial technical foul that gave UNC a crucial 6-point swing late in the game.
- UNC struggled with rebounding and second-chance points, being outworked on the offensive glass 13-7 by Western Carolina, highlighting ongoing issues from their exhibition games.
- The departure of former 7-footer Henri Veesaar to the NBA draft left a void in UNC's frontcourt, with current big men Sayon Keita and Jarin Stevenson underperforming in rebounds and interior defense.
- Concerns loom for upcoming ACC matchups against teams with strong frontcourts like Louisville, Florida State, and Duke, as UNC's current frontcourt deficiencies could lead to significant challenges.
