5 Instant Observations From UNC's Exhibition Loss Against Indiana

The North Carolina Tar Heels suffered a humbling 76-58 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in their second exhibition game.

Here are five observations from the Tar Heels' jarring defeat.

Change in Starting Five

North Carolina Tar Heels center Sayon Keita (21) attempts a dunk Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, during the first half of an exhibition game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It took one exhibition game for Michael Malone to make a change, and I'm all for him being proactive. This is the time to experiment and figure out what works best. After starting Sayon Keita against USC, the 55-year-old head coach made a change, sliding Jarin Stevenson to center and adding Maximo Adams to the starting lineup.

It served Keita well in the first half, as the former Barcelona center produced seven points, four rebounds, and three blocks in the opening 20 minutes. However, the Tar Heels' rebounding department suffered, as they were outrebounded 27-14 during this span. It's worth noting that Keita would start in the second half, with Adams reverting to the bench.

Matt Able Bounces Back

Oct 18, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Matt Able (3) dribbles against Indiana Hoosiers guard Bryce Lindsay (2) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was a disappointing debut for the North Carolina State transfer, as he failed to score a single point against USC. On Sunday, Able looked like the player that NBA scouts had their eyes on as a potential pick in this past year's draft. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard recorded 11 points, while shooting 4-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range. Sunday's performance was a significant step in the right direction for Able.

Quick Tempo Leads to Sloppy Play

Oct 18, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers center Samet Yigitoglu (21) blocks North Carolina guard Terrence Brown (1) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's well documented that the Tar Heels want to get out and run, but that could also work against them, which was the case on Sunday. North Carolina had 15 turnovers, with Neoklis Avdalas and Terrence Brown both struggling to keep the ball. In general, the Tar Heels looked sped up, which led to several careless passes. Indiana had 19 points off those turnovers.

Jarin Stevenson Struggles

North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) expresses frustration Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, during the first half of an exhibition game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Stevenson recorded a double-double last weekend, with 25 points and 10 rebounds. It goes without saying that the 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward was nowhere near that level of production and impact. Stevenson recorded three points and three rebounds, while shooting 1-of-7 from the field, including 1-of-3 from three-point range.

His output was a microcosm of North Carolina's disheartening outing against the Hoosiers in a humbling result.

Rebounding a Serious Issue

Indiana Hoosiers forward Aiden Sherrell (22) rebounds the ball against North Carolina Tar Heels center Sayon Keita (21) on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, during the first half of an exhibition game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Throughout the offseason, North Carolina's frontcourt has been the main question mark. Those concerns were validated, as the Tar Heels were outrebounded 53-31. Cameron Fens remains ineligible to play in games, but North Carolina needs him in this rotation if it wants a chance to defend in the paint and compete on the boards.

Add us as a preferred source on Google