Michael Malone avoids upset disaster in North Carolina basketball debut

The North Carolina Tar Heels avoided a disaster in their first game under the watch of new head coach Michael Malone . North Carolina basketball thwarted the visiting Western Carolina Catamounts at Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill on Monday night to the tune of an 80-72 score, giving Malone his first win at the helm of the program. Michael Malone notches his first college win as his North Carolina Tar Heels take down Western Carolina Catamounts, 80-72 in the season opener pic.twitter.com/x8QrkYcMp3 — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 3, 2026 Malone’s Tar Heels earned the win, but the Catamounts threatened…