North Carolina Opens Preseason Against USC in Greensboro

North Carolina and Southern California will begin their preseason schedules with an exhibition matchup at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the Tar Heels prepare for their first season under head coach Michael Malone and the Trojans assess a revamped roster ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball campaign.

According to the University of North Carolina Athletics and USC Athletics, the game is scheduled for Friday at approximately 7 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on ACC Network. The contest marks Malone's first appearance on the sideline for North Carolina and the opening game of a three-game exhibition schedule for both programs.

North Carolina finished the previous season 24-9, including a 12-6 record in Atlantic Coast Conference play and an unbeaten 18-0 mark at home, according to the university. The Tar Heels earned their 55th NCAA Tournament bid and recorded their 66th 20-win season. Eleven newcomers have joined the program, while senior forward Jarin Stevenson is the team's lone returning starter.

The exhibition will give Malone an early opportunity to assess a roster that has undergone significant changes following the coaching transition. According to Heel Tough Blog, guards Terrence Brown, Neo Avdalas and Matt Able are among the newcomers expected to play important roles, while the frontcourt presents questions about depth and rotation options.

North Carolina will be without Cameron Fens for Friday's game as he continues to pursue eligibility for a fifth season, Heel Tough Blog reported. International additions Sayon Keita and Alexandros Samodurov are expected to help address the frontcourt needs following the departures of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, while Stevenson remains an experienced option.

The Tar Heels also need to establish reliable ball handling and perimeter shooting. Malone has indicated that Brown and Avdalas will share responsibility for bringing the ball up in half-court situations, according to Heel Tough Blog. Matt Able arrives after a strong shooting season at NC State, but the team must identify additional consistent outside scoring options.

USC enters the matchup under head coach Eric Musselman, who is also preparing for his first exhibition appearance of the season. The Trojans return guards Rodney Rice and Alijah Arenas alongside forward Jacob Cofie, giving the team an experienced core despite injuries that limited their availability together last season, according to USC Athletics.

Rice averaged 20.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists across six games last season before shoulder surgery ended his campaign. He was subsequently named to the 11-player Preseason All-Big Ten Team. Arenas averaged 14.1 points per game, while Cofie contributed 9.9 points per game, according to Heel Tough Blog.

USC has strengthened its roster through transfers and recruiting. KJ Lewis, who averaged 14.9 points per game at Georgetown, and Eric Reibe, who previously played at UConn, joined the program. USC Athletics also reported that its incoming high school recruiting class ranked No. 7 in ESPN's rankings, with Christian Collins, Adonis Ratliff and Darius Ratliff among the notable additions.

However, Heel Tough Blog reported that Lewis, Reibe and reserve Christian Collins were expected to miss the exhibition. Their anticipated absences could affect USC's available rotation as Musselman evaluates his team's depth and combinations.

The Greensboro game is the first of three preseason exhibitions for North Carolina. The Tar Heels are scheduled to face Indiana in Indianapolis on October 18 before hosting Charlotte at the Smith Center on October 27. North Carolina's regular season is set to begin November 2 against Western Carolina in Chapel Hill.

USC will continue its exhibition schedule with road games against UC San Diego and San Diego State before opening its regular season at home against Milwaukee on November 2, according to USC Athletics.