Friday will be fans' first chance to watch the Michael Malone era in live action. North Carolina hired Malone, a 12-year NBA head coach who won the 2023 Championship, to be its leader back in April. Malone won over 510 games as an NBA boss and, while Friday won't officially count, it'll be a great measure of how he adjusts to a new level.
The Tar Heels will be facing a USC squad entering their third year of the Eric Musselman era. The Trojans hired Musselman away from Arkansas, with hopes his SEC success can restore their program to early 2020s success. Musselman led USC to a pair of winning records, but just one postseason appearance, making the 2025 CBC quarterfinals.
UNC appeared on track to make a deep NCAA Tournament run in March, thanks to the play of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar. Wilson suffered a season-ending injuy leading up to the Duke game and, despite a deep roster with other stars like Seth Trimble and Jarin Stevenson, a Round of 64 collapse vs. VCU ended North Carolina's once-promising season.
Malone re-loaded the Tar Heels' 2026-27 roster with a combination of experienced, Power Four transfers and international big men, while getting Stevenson, Jaydon Young and Isaiah Denis to stay. Malone flipped Kevin Thomas from LSU, Maximo Adams stayed despite a coaching change, while Malloy Smith chose to follow in his father's footsteps.
The old Greensboro Coliseum will be buzzing on Friday night, filled with Carolina Blue and the occasional USC red. Keep reading below for our exhibition preview, which includes UNC's key to victory, something to watch, leading statistical returners from each team and a UNC season schedule.
Key to Victory
Producing in the paint.
The Tar Heels have a deeper roster compared to last season, but unproven talent at the most important post position: center.
North Carolina will likely roll with a 2-man rotation at the 5-spot in Sayon Keita and Alexandros Samodurov. Keita played professionally in Spain, while Samodurov did the same in Greece.
UNC also has 7-footer Cade Bennerman, who never played in a game for Northwestern last year. Friday is a great chance for Malone to see how his three new centers play and, if they succeed, the Tar Heels are off to a great start.
Something to Watch
If Matt Able will thrive in his first collegiate start.
In an unconventional portal move, North Carolina landed Able from rival NC State in the transfer portal. Able thrived in 34 appearances off the bench in Raleigh last year, averaging 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, but he now gets a golden chance at starting.
Again, there's no telling what Malone's first starting five will look like. Able should be amongst that group, ready to prove himself in a larger role.
Top statistical returners
Points
UNC: Jarin Stevenson (8.1)
USC: Rodney Rice (20.3)
Rebounds
UNC: Jarin Stevenson (4.4)
USC: Jacob Cofie (6.8)
Assists
UNC: Jarin Stevenson (0.9)
USC: Rodney Rice (6.0)
What you need to know
WHAT? North Carolina Tar Heels vs. USC Trojans
WHEN? Friday, October 9 at 7 p.m.
WHERE? First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.
TV? ACC Network
RADIO? GoHeels.com
LAST MEETING? UNC 74, USC 64 on March 23, 2007 in East Rutherford, N.J.
ALL-TIME SERIES? UNC leads, 8-1
PREDICTION? UNC 85, USC 78
UNC Men's Basketball 2026-27 schedule
October 9: Exhibition vs. USC Trojans in Greensboro, N.C. (7 p.m.)
Oct. 18: Exhibition at Indiana Hoosiers in Indianapolis (5 p.m.)
Oct. 27: Exhibition vs. Charlotte (7:30 p.m.)
November 2: Season Opener vs. Western Carolina (7 p.m.)
Nov. 6: vs. Wofford (7 p.m.)
Nov. 10: vs. Wyoming (7 p.m.)
Nov. 13: vs. Georgia (7 p.m.)
Nov. 20: vs. Marshall (9 p.m.)
Nov. 23: vs. Monmouth (8 p.m.)
Nov. 27: Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte, N.C. (7 p.m.)
December 1: ACC-SEC Challenge vs. Arkansas (7:30 p.m.)
Dec. 6: vs. Butler (3 p.m.)
Dec. 12: at Georgetown (12 p.m.)
Dec. 15: Tobacco Road Classic vs. NC State in Greensboro (7 p.m.)
Dec. 19: CBS Sports Clasic vs. Kentucky in New York, N.Y. (2:30 p.m.)
Dec. 21: vs. The Citadel (8 p.m.)
Dec. 30: vs. Cal (4 p.m.)
January 2, 2027: at Boston College (4 p.m.)
Jan. 5: at Louisville (9 p.m.)
Jan. 9: vs. NC State (12 p.m.)
Jan. 13: at Florida State (7 p.m.)
Jan. 16: vs. Stanford (2:15 p.m.)
Jan. 19: vs. Virginia (9 p.m.)
Jan. 23: at Syracuse (12 p.m.)
Jan. 26: vs. SMU (7 p.m.)
Jan. 30: Nashville (Tenn.) Hoops Showdown vs. Illinois in Bridgestone Arena (6 or 6:30 p.m.)
February 2: at Notre Dame
Feb. 6: vs. Georgia Tech (2:15 p.m.)
Feb. 8: vs. Louisville (7 p.m.)
Feb. 13: at Duke (5:30 p.m.)
Feb. 20: at Wake Forest (7 p.m.)
Feb. 22: vs. Miami (7 p.m.)
Feb. 27: at Virginia Tech (7 p.m.)
March 2: at Pitt (9 p.m.)
March 6: vs. Duke (6 or 6:30 p.m.)
March 9-13: ACC Tournament in Greensboro
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball vs. USC Trojans game info, streaming