Catamounts Push North Carolina in Season-Opening Road Test

Jaxon Prunty matched the game-high with 18 points and Jaeden Roberts added 17 as Western Carolina twice trimmed a second-half deficit to a single point, but North Carolina used a late surge to fend off the Catamounts 80-72 Monday night in the 2026-27 season opener at the Dean Smith Center.

WCU twice closed within a point of the Tar Heels in the second half but could never seize the lead. Prunty sank a jumper in the paint at the 6:18 mark to pull the Catamounts back within two, 64-62, but it would prove to be as close as they would get.

UNC used a 13-2 run over the next four and a half minutes to stretch the margin to 13 points, scoring six from the free-throw line to lead 77-64 with 91 seconds remaining. The Catamounts scored eight of the game's final 11 points to account for the final margin in the first of three games against ACC competition this season.

Prunty finished with a career-best 18 points, hitting three 3-pointers and going 7-for-8 at the charity stripe. He added three assists in his WCU debut. Roberts buried 6-of-11 field goals, including 4-of-7 from range for his 17 points.

Freshman Jacob Zhu had an impressive collegiate debut, scoring nine points with five rebounds and a pair of assists. Sophomore Tayeshaun Smith added eight points and senior transfer Isaiah Manning grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.

Matt Able led the Tar Heels with 18 points, while Terrence Brown added 14 points, including 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Brown added five boards and two steals. Neo Avdalas finished with 13 points, a team-best seven rebounds, and four assists. Maimo Adams rounded out the double-figure scoring with 10 points.

North Carolina scored the game’s first 10 points over the opening four minutes before Prunty drained a 3-pointer to stop the run. WCU scored six of eight points in a stretch to cut the deficit to five, 14-9, seven minutes into the season.

UNC answered each Western Carolina rally in the opening half, using a pair of 5-0 runs to maintain a double-digit advantage near the midway point. Western Carolina’s best run in the opening half saw four different Catamounts spur a 13-6 run to cut the deficit to its smallest margin, three at 30-27 with five to go. The Tar Heels had the final run of the half with nine of the final 12 points to take a 39-30 lead to the break. 

After seeing North Carolina start with the first four points of the second half, the Catamounts went on a 17-5 run over the next four minutes to cut the deficit to two, 51-49 with 13:16 to play. Roberts led the run with eight points.

The two sides traded points over the ensuing three minutes, keeping it a one-possession game before a Roberts three with 9:35 to go trimmed it to a one-point, 58-57 margin. The hosts took advantage of the charity stripe over the next three minutes, scoring 11 points as Prunty hit a three and a jumper in between, but the Tar Heels extended their lead to seven, 69-62.

North Carolina had an 8-0 run over four minutes to push the lead to a half-high 13, 77-64. The Catamounts didn't go quietly as Smith, Brown, and Prunty all carried the load with an 8-1 run, but the Catamounts wouldn't get any closer as the Tar Heels held off the late charge for the 80-72 victory. 

The Catamounts shot 33.9% (20-of-59) from the field with 10 3-pointers on 41.7% shooting. WCU converted 22-of-27 (81.5%) at the free-throw line. North Carolina finished at 41.8% (23-of-55) shooting from the floor as the Tar Heels made nine threes and went 25-of-35 at the foul line. 

WCU controlled the glass on Monday by nine, 41-32, with a 13-7 advantage on the offensive boards. Both sides had nine giveaways, with North Carolina converting those into 12 points compared to five for WCU. The Tar Heels also had a 6-point edge in the paint at 24-18, while the WCU bench held the 26-23 lead in bench scoring. The Catamounts also had a 13-8 second-chance edge in scoring. 

Western Carolina (0-1) continues its road slate with a trip to Asheville to battle mountain rival UNC Asheville on Saturday, Nov. 7. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and will be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with live stats available on CatamountSports.com.