3 Instant Observations From UNC Basketball's Overtime Win Over Charlotte

Here's what we learned in the Tar Heels' final exhibition game.

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

The North Carolina Tar Heels concluded their preseason on Tuesday with an 89-82 overtime win over Charlotte.

It was a slow start for the Tar Heels, who missed eight of their first 10 shots and at one point failed to make a field goal for five minutes in the first half. Additionally, Matt Able was ruled out an hour before tip-off. With all of that in mind, here are three instant takeaways from North Carolina's final exhibition game.

Strong Backcourt Performance

Unfortunately, we didn't see the backcourt trio, with Able missing the game. That said, Neoklis Avdalas and Terrence Brown took advantage of the expanded roles. Entering this contest, Brown had struggled mightily in the first two exhibition games, so his strong outing was promising. For the first time this preseason, we saw the player who averaged 19.9 points at Utah.

North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Michael Malone talks to North Carolina Tar Heels guard Terrence Brown (1) on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, during the first half of an exhibition game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Meanwhile, Avdalas' versatility was on full display, as he contributed on the boards, pushed the ball up the court, and scored efficiently. His ability to create easy offense for the Tar Heels was monumental, as their half-court sets were failing to generate high-percentage looks early in the first half.

Alarming Performance

While the results of these exhibition games are not the end-all, be-all, and North Carolina escaped with a win, it's still concerning that it needed overtime to defeat Charlotte on Tuesday night. The Tar Heels had the lead in this game for a little over nine minutes, which is unacceptable against this level of opponent.

Most of the problems that emerged in the previous two exhibition games remained on Tuesday night. North Carolina struggled to control the boards, which shouldn't have been an issue against an inferior opponent. Overall, the Tar Heels were in a dogfight all night and had to overcome a double-digit deficit to win.

Still Plenty of Room for Improvement

Oct 18, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Sam Alexis (4) shoots over North Carolina Tar Heels forward Alex Samodurov (22) during the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If this game taught us anything, it's that the Tar Heels need to improve if they want any chance of competing in the ACC. Luckily, the Tar Heels will have plenty of time before conference play to acclimate to the system. It's apparent that this roster still needs time to gel and play more minutes together.

While the results of these exhibition games aren't overly critical, falling to Charlotte is something Tar Heel fans couldn't foresee happening. However, that was nearly the case, as Charlotte had the lead with seconds remaining in regulation before North Carolina forced overtime. It's an unacceptable performance for a team expected to bounce back from two consecutive first-round exits in the NCAA Tournament.