5 instant observations from UNC's win over Western Carolina

DAMAKORONKOWA - The season is undoubtedly still a work in progress for head coach Michael Malone and his squad, but the North Carolina Tar Heels managed to secure an 80-72 victory over Western Carolina in their opening matchup of the year. While the final score shows a win, the game provided plenty of talking points for a team trying to find its identity early on.

Here is a closer look at the key observations and takeaways from the Tar Heels' first outing of the regular season.

Breaking the First-Half Slump

One of the most notable storylines coming out of the preseason was North Carolina's inability to secure a lead at halftime during any of their three exhibition games. Head coach Michael Malone heavily emphasized this issue during his postgame press conferences prior to opening night, making it a focal point for improvement.

Fortunately, that negative trend did not carry over into the official season opener. Even though North Carolina experienced the usual ebbs and flows of an opening night—allowing Western Carolina to claw their way back from a substantial early deficit—the Tar Heels showed significant growth by taking a 39-30 advantage into the locker room at halftime. It was a clear step in the right direction for a team still ironing out the kinks.

Overreliance on the Perimeter

The offense under Malone’s system operates at a blistering pace, relying heavily on driving and kicking to open up looks on the perimeter. However, the Tar Heels fell into the trap of settling too often, particularly during the first half, finishing the game hitting just 5-of-17 attempts from beyond the arc.

With a completely revamped backcourt leading the charge this season, it is evident that fast tempos, perimeter shooting, and off-the-dribble shot creation will form the foundation of the offensive scheme. Even so, North Carolina must exercise caution and ensure they do not completely abandon the mid-range game as the season progresses.

Rebounding Vulnerabilities

A notable lack of overall physicality and the absence of a dominant, traditional post threat largely explain why the Tar Heels leaned so heavily on perimeter shooting. Unfortunately, these exact factors also exposed significant vulnerabilities in their rebounding. Despite holding a clear size advantage over their opponents, North Carolina was thoroughly tested—and ultimately beaten—on the boards by Western Carolina.

With all due respect to Western Carolina, they do not possess the overall caliber or athleticism of the opponents the Tar Heels will face on a nightly basis in the powerhouse ACC. Getting outrebounded 41-32 in a game where size favored North Carolina is a glaring issue that coaching staff will need to address quickly.

Matt Able Steals the Show

Although Matt Able had a relatively quiet and underwhelming preseason, he burst out of the gates on opening night with a clear mission. The North Carolina State transfer knocked down his very first three shots, which included a pair of deep three-pointers. While he did experience a slight offensive lull as the first half wore on, his ability to score efficiently in a variety of ways stood out.

Based on this opening performance, it is safe to project that Able could easily emerge as the Tar Heels' most efficient scorer this year. Granted, it is only a single game, but the 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard possesses the tools and skill set to develop into one of the premier players across the entire ACC.

Trust in the Bench Depth

North Carolina may not currently feature an individual superstar on the exact same level as someone like Caleb Wilson, but this year's roster boasts considerably more depth. That reality was underscored by Coach Malone's willingness to lean heavily on his bench, rewarding reserves with significant minutes throughout the contest, particularly in the opening half.

While it is expected that the rotation and overall minutes for the second unit will inevitably tighten up as the stakes rise and the season wears on, it remains a heavily encouraging sign that the coaching staff can already rely on this level of depth and versatility. As analysts have highlighted throughout the offseason, the non-conference slate serves as the ideal laboratory for Malone to experiment with different lineup combinations and minute distributions.