Matt Able scored 18 points to help North Carolina defeat Western Carolina 80-72 on Monday night in Chapel Hill, N.C., in Michael Malone’s collegiate head-coaching debut.
Terrence Brown added 14 points, and Neo Avdalas added 13 for the Tar Heels, who never trailed but were pushed throughout their season opener against an in-state foe.
North Carolina’s Maximo Adams added 10 points off the bench as Malone — a former NBA champion head coach with the Denver Nuggets — used a 10-man rotation in his first game on a college bench since he was an assistant at Manhattan from 1999-2001.
Former UNC coach Roy Williams congratulated Malone on the floor postgame with what appeared to be a ceremonial game ball.
Jaxon Prunty scored 18 points as Western Carolina began its third season under head coach Tim Craft.
Jaeden Roberts added 17 points for the Catamounts but fouled out with 5:57 to play, a moment that keyed the Tar Heels’ game-sealing, 13-2 run.
North Carolina held Western Carolina to just 33.9% (20-of-59) from the floor, but the visitors stayed in it through a 13-7 advantage in offensive rebounds.
On the foul leading to Roberts’ exit, Jarin Stevenson made one free throw to make it 65-62 Tar Heels.
Able and Sayon Keita each sank a pair after Tayeshaun Smith committed personal and technical fouls, and Brown converted a three-point play.
Able’s driving layup stretched the lead back to 10, and Avdalas sank a 3-pointer with 1:31 to play to make it 77-64.
Early on, Able scored his first eight points during a 10-0 game-opening run for the Tar Heels, hitting a pair of 3-pointers with a driving layup in between.
Early in the second half, his dunk over Catamounts guard Isaiah Manning gave North Carolina its largest lead at 43-30.
Western Carolina refused to let the contest get out of hand on either occasion, getting back within three during the first half and to within one twice after halftime. The last came when Roberts hit a 3-pointer following an offensive rebound to cut it to 58-57 with 9:35 remaining.