The North Carolina Tar Heels took another step in the right direction on Tuesday night, defeating the Wyoming Cowboys, 76-63.

That said, the Tar Heels struggled in the first half, specifically on the glass, as Wyoming collected 15 offensive rebounds. That factor alone kept the Cowboys within striking distance, as North Carolina led 31-29 heading into halftime.

While the Tar Heels' starting five struggled in the opening 20 minutes, the bench's impact was instrumental in staying afloat. Isaiah Denis was a major factor in that development, scoring 11 points in the first half while shooting 4-of-4 from the field. The sophomore guard finished the game with 14 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Here's what Denis' standout performance means for the Tar Heels moving forward.

Denis' Involvement Moving Forward

In the first two games of the season, Michael Malone split the minutes evenly among a 10-man rotation. That approach changed on Tuesday night, as the 55-year-old head coach shrank the rotation. Maximo Adams and Denis were the only two bench players who featured more than 12 minutes.

When Malone first took over as North Carolina's head coach, he lauded Denis as a potential breakout player for the Tar Heels in 2026. Across the first two games, the 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard didn't live up to the hype, totaling nine points, nine assists, and seven rebounds while cumulatively shooting 2-of-14 from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range.

Denis was a completely different player on Tuesday night, operating with premier confidence. His elite outing earned him 20 minutes off the bench. Without Denis, North Carolina could have been a grave danger in the first half.

How Breakout Performance Gives Malone Another Option

With 11 newcomers on this roster, North Carolina will experience growing pains and go through ebbs and flows throughout the season. That narrative was apparent on Tuesday night, as the starting five struggled mightily.

Malone clearly values depth, as he constructed a roster with plenty of bench options. Assuming Denis can play at a level close to that, the Tar Heels suddenly have another reliable bench option who can shoot from the outside and push the ball in transition. Denis isn't a prototypical point guard, but he's capable of distributing the ball.

Overall, Tuesday's performance proved that Malone's evaluation of Denis was legitimate and that the sophomore guard could form a dangerous bench tandem with Adams. North Carolina's backcourt depth is an underrated strength.