The North Carolina Tar Heels showed how good of a basketball team they can be during Michael Malone's head-coaching debut, winning 88-70 on October 9, against a USC Trojans squad many expect to be in the Top 25.
Sunday was a different story, with UNC facing Indiana on the road in a second preseason clash. North Carolina lost, 76-58
, in a game defined by bench production, post play and shooting struggles.Three Tar Heels scored in double figures, led by a career-high 12 points (5-of-9 FG, 2-of-3 FT) from Sayon Keita. UNC guard Jaydon Young scored 10 points, while Matt Able added 11 after going scoreless against USC.
The Hoosiers had a 37-19 advantage in bench points, which proved the ultimate difference-maker, plus they won the rebounding battle
53-31. Villanova transfer Bryce Lindsay out-shined everyone on the court, pouring in a game-high 26 points, making eight of his 14 shots and all six free throws. Indiana senior Sam Alexis had 10 points off the bench. Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell and SMU transfer Samet Yigitoglu combined for 21 rebounds.
North Carolina played without sophomore guard Isaiah Denis, who shined off the bench in last week's win over the Trojans. Young's presence helped overcome that absence, but the Tar Heels' backcourt otherwise struggled off the bench.
Remember, this is preseason and these games don't count. Wins are great, but there's no need for overreaction to losses.
As you prepare for UNC's final exhibition clash, which comes next Tuesday vs. Charlotte, let's take a deeper look at five takeaways from today's result.
North Carolina missed Isaiah Denis
Denis, who quickly pulled himself from the transfer portal upon Malone taking over as head coach, showed how special he can be in Greensboro last week.
Denis wasn't in uniform on Sunday. The Tar Heels' bench struggled compared to the Hoosiers, with Denis' 14 points missing.
Sayon Keita will be a special player
Those in attendance for last week's preseason opener watched Keita steal the basketball, dribble smoothly down the First Horizon Coliseum court and slam down a thunderous dunk.
Keita followed up with a 12-point, 9-rebound performance vs. Indiana on Sunday, showcasing himself as UNC's top post option again. He also had multiple blocks in the game, allowing him to showcase his ability on the defensive end of the floor as well.
Perimeter defense has to improve
Indiana made nine 3-pointers on Sunday night, converting 33 percent of its attempts. Lindsay and Duke transfer Darren Harris each nailed multiple trifectas.
North Carolina struggled with perimeter defense at times in its 2025-26 season, but this year's team is brand new. There's plenty of time to work on this area.
Scoring may not be Terrence Brown's primary role this year
Roles can sometimes change for players when they transfer. After averaging nearly 20 points per game at Utah last season, Brown has just 12 points through two Tar Heel exhibitions, including seven on Sunday at Indiana.
North Carolina will look at Brown to play a big role in their offense. He was one of their prized pickups in the transfer portal and the need for a legit back court player in Malone's system will be key.
Rebounding could be an issue for North Carolina
Keita is a good center, while Jarin Stevenson can slide down to the 5-spot. Alexandros Samodurov may take time to find his role, but his 6'11" frame is valuable.
Fens is a 7-foot center with significant starting experience, while none of North Carolina's current centers have previous collegiate starting experience.
Indiana out-rebounded the Tar Heels, 53-31. With Fens on the court, UNC likely doesn't have much of a rebounding disparity.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Five takeaways from UNC's exhibition loss at Indiana
