The North Carolina Tar Heels narrowly escaped with an 89-82 overtime win over Charlotte in their final exhibition game.

Throughout the offseason, head coach Michael Malone has emphasized that he wants to win every game no matter who the opponent is. North Carolina left with a win, but it wasn't an encouraging outing by the polarizing ACC team. That being said, here are the winners and losers from the Tar Heels' uninspiring victory on Tuesday night, ahead of their season opener on Nov. 2 against Western Carolina.

Winners

Terrence Brown

The Utah transfer needed a statement performance, and he delivered with a resounding outing. Brown recorded 27 points, three rebounds, and three assists, while shooting 9-of-18 from the field, 2-of-7 from three-point range, and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line.

In his first two games in a Tar Heel uniform, Brown resembled nothing of the player he was at Utah. On Tuesday night, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard was assertive, poised, and explosive. Brown showed that he can carry the offense when the team is struggling to manufacture clean looks. Now, it's important to acknowledge that Charlotte isn't close to the level of opposition North Carolina will regularly face in the ACC. We'll learn in the coming weeks if Brown truly turned a corner.

Neoklis Avdalas

Similar to his debut, Avdalas was the Tar Heels' floor general against Charlotte, totaling 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, while shooting 5-of-9 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-7 from the free-throw line.

What's so impressive about Avdalas is his ability to rebound the ball and quickly turn and locate open teammates in transition. His lob pass to Jarin Stevenson in the first half is the play that comes to mind when thinking of that ability. Overall, the Virginia Tech transfer showcased why he was the first player head coach Michael Malone contacted in the portal.

Sayon Keita

Keita's efficiency from the field was on full display, as he shot 3-of-4 from the field, including making his lone three-point attempt, and knocking down 5-of-6 free throw attempts. The former Barcelona center was uncharacteristically a non-factor on the glass with only two rebounds, but he continues to prove that as long as Cameron Fens is ineligible, he's hands down the starting center.

Obviously, Keita has plenty of room to grow, but his potential is through the roof. By the end of the season, Keita could be one of the elite centers in the nation.

Losers

Matt Able

This has nothing to do with performance, as the North Carolina State transfer was ruled out shortly before tip-off. There was no injury reported or a reason given for his status. It may be nothing, but Able would have benefitted from playing the exhibition finale.

Maximo Adams

In Able's absence, Adams was inserted into the starting lineup. However, the freshman forward failed to make an impact on the game, recording three points and six rebounds while shooting 1-of-5 from the field, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc.

I'm not concerned about Adams in the slightest. The former four-star recruit will be a pivotal piece of the puzzle for the Tar Heels this season. His ability to score and rebound off the bench will be monumental for North Carolina's level of success in 2026.