The North Carolina Tar Heels returned to action on Friday night following a disappointing outing in Monday's season opener against Western Carolina.

With an opportunity to win another game while improving in several areas, here's how fans reacted to the Tar Heels' performance against Wofford.

Fast Start

Perhaps the team heard all the chatter about concerns over its performance in the season opener. There appeared to be a concerted effort to crash the boards by all five players on the court. When the first media timeout arrived, the Tar Heels had six rebounds, with Sayon Keita leading the way with three.

Additionally, Terrence Brown scored five points, while connecting on 2-of-4 shots, including a three-pointer.

In under 4 minutes today, Sayon Keita already has more rebounds than he did the entire game against Western Carolina.

GREAT, but crazy to think about.

— Conor Melillo (@ConorMelillo500) November 7, 2026

JARIN STEVENSON is a man on a mission tonight.

• 1st offensive possession: Vicious dunk to start game & 1
• 2nd offensive possession: Attacks again on 2nd, getting more FTs
• 3rd offensive possession: Chases down a loose OReb, resulting in Terrence Brown 3

7-0 UNC

— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) November 7, 2026

Adjustments Being Made

It became very clear that North Carolina had been reliant on the three-ball in previous games. That wasn't the case in the opening nine minutes, as 14 of the Tar Heels' 22 points were in the paint.

#UNC leads 22-10 at the 11:54 mark. Still some groans inside the Dean Dome, though, after 2 offensive boards for Wofford led to a bucket. Rebounds are 11-10 Tar Heels but Wofford leads ORebs 4-2. UNC leads points in the paint 14-6, though, and is shooting 9-16 (56.3%).

— Michael Koh (@michaelkohwchl) November 7, 2026

Where's Matt Able?

The North Carolina State transfer wasted no time making his presence known on Monday night, scoring eight of the Tar Heels' first 10 points. Against Wofford, Able didn't score his first points until the six-minute mark in the first half. Keita delivered a perfectly placed, backdoor pass to the sophomore guard.

Matt Able has got to score and be aggressive, regardless of the score of the game. He is non existent in this game so far.

— Matt Whitworth (@heelfan3045) November 7, 2026

Dominant Defensive Performance in First Half

North Carolina held Wofford to 29.4 percent shooting from the field in the opening frame. The Tar Heels' physicality on the boards and on the perimeter contributed to their offensive success. North Carolina took a 17-point lead into halftime.

North Carolina set the tone defensively, holding Wofford to just 22% shooting from the field while turning stops into transition opportunities on the other end.

UNC's energy on the glass and defensive pressure have fueled the lead, creating extra possessions and limiting the…

— Tink (@Tink_Amore) November 7, 2026

UNC playing hard and together! UNC 51 -Wofford 34 at halftime.

— TorresOnUNC (@TorresOnUNC) November 7, 2026

Terrence Brown Electric Performance

The Utah transfer's confidence has steadily grown since the preseason. While Brown struggled with efficiency in the season opener, he drove to the basket with confidence tonight. That was on full display throughout the game, especially early in the second half.

Terrance Brown showcasing his potential all night long

— Knick (@Brunsonismygoat) November 7, 2026

TERRENCE BROWN

— HubertsBurner (@UNCballTalk) November 7, 2026

Maximo Adams' All-Around Performance

The former 4-star recruit has instantly established himself as one of the most reliable players in the rotation. Following an impressive performance in the season opener, the 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward contributed in multiple areas. His scoring output wasn't robust, but he finished with double-digit rebounds.

At the U12 break, Carolina continues to extend their lead over Wofford at 76-46.

Maximo Adams has a big game off the bench, with 6 PTS & 10 RBD in 18 minutes. UNC's reserves have produced 27 points so far, led by Alexandros Samodurov with 9.

11:38 left to play.

— Heel Tough Blog (@HeelToughBlog) November 7, 2026

Emphasis on Paint Points

En route to North Carolina's coast-to-coast win, it imposed its will early in the second half, scoring 12 of its opening 16 points in the paint. It all started on defense, as the Tar Heels forced multiple turnovers, culminating in quick transition points. This performance embodied exactly Malone's vision for how he wants the team to play.

UNC has scored 12 of its 16 second-half points in the paint to take a 67-41 lead vs. Wofford with 15:18 left to play.

— Rodd Baxley (@RoddBaxley) November 7, 2026