As North Carolina Edged Western Carolina 80-72 Monday Night In Chapel Hill Michael Malone Got His First Win As North Carolina Head Coach
There is a first time for everything!
Michael Malone recorded his first win as North Carolina Head Coach Monday night as North Carolina edged Western Carolina 80-72 in Chapel Hill.
Where?
On the hardwood!
Michael Malone is former Denver Head Coach former Sacramento Head Coach former NBA Head Coach who was hired as North Carolina’s new Head Coach as of Monday April 6, 2026.
Michael Malone coached pair of seasons in Sacramento ten seasons in Denver!
As Head Coach of Sacramento Michael Malone had a record 106-39!
As Head Coach of Denver Michael Malone had a record of 798- 471 that included winning Denver’s only NBA Championship in 2023
https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/malonmi99c.html
According article by ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/48413287/unc-hire-ex-nba-coach-michael-malone-hc-sources-say
Michael Malone was then fired by Denver in April of 2025 because of a toxic power struggle with General Manager Calvin Booth declining team performance and concerns that he had lost the locker room despite winning championship in 2023.
Before being Head Coach in NBA Michael Malone was a point guard at Loyola (Maryland from 1989 - 1993 before beginning his coaching career where he was an Assistant Coach at Oakland University under Greg Kampe before an Assistant Coach Providence College with Pete Gillen.
Michael Malone has a connection to North Carolina!
His connection?
His daughter Bridget Malone who is a sophomore on the volleyball team!
According to Shelby Swanson’s News & Observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article315316941.html
At the time of Michael Malone being hired as North Carolina’s new Head Coach former Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski now retired Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski went the Pat McAfee show ! Duke had an NFL Champion hired in Bill Belichick and Duke beat Carolina in football this year. There is time for adjustment coming from the pros to college Michael is a terrific coach and terrific guy. There’s a learning curve Whatever the reasoning is the infrastructure of athletic department is to become more of a pro organization and Mike Malone knows how to do that.
According to https://x.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/2041214843152146705
As Michael Malone recorded his first win as North Carolina Head Coach Monday night as North Carolina edged Western Carolina 80-72 in Chapel Hill four players scored in double figures Neo Avoldas who is a transfer from Virginia Tech who a guard was 4-8 on field goals , 2-4 on 3 pointers , 3-5 on free throws to go along with 7 rebounds 4 assists, 3 turnovers . Matt Able who is transfer from NC State who is a guard was 6-10 on field goals , 2-6 on 3 pointers , 4-6 on free throws to go along with 3 rebounds , 2 assists , 2 turnovers. Terrance Brown who is a senior who is a guard was 3-11 on field goals , 0-3 on 3 pointers , 8-10 on free throws to go along with 5 rebounds , 2 assists 14 points. As a team North Carolina was 23-55 on field goals , 9-30 on 3 pointers . 25 -35 for 71 on free throws.
According to ESPN App
Following North Carolina edging Western Carolina for Michael Malone Michael Malone shared his thoughts You guys have as much fun as I did . Welcome to roller coaster.
According to Michael McCleary News & Observer article!
https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article317771391.html
North Carolina is now going to prepare to host Wofford Friday night in Chapel Hill
Though,
First Wofford tips-off their 2026-2027 season on Tuesday against Tennessee in Knoxville Tennessee!
Tip-off for North Carolina Wofford on Friday November 6, 2026 is set for 7:00pm from Dean E. Smith Center!
The game is going to televised on ACC Network with Doug Sherman, Randolph Childress commentating!
Doug Sherman has been a member of ESPN since 2005, serving as a play-by-play announcer for college football, men’s and women’s college basketball, college baseball and Little League.
He regularly calls games in the SEC, Big 12 and Big 12, but primarily handles the ACC. Sherman frequents the iconic venues of Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Dean E. Smith Center and the JMA Dome.
Prior to ESPN, he was the sports director at WRGB-CBS 6 for more than 20 years. Additionally, Sherman worked as a sports reporter for WSTM-NBC-3 in Syracuse N.Y. Sherman’s previous play-by-play experience includes being the ‘Voice of MAAC basketball’, Siena College basketball and the Syracuse Chiefs (AAA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays).
After graduating from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1988 with a bachelor of science degree in broadcast journalism, the New York native stayed in his home state and nearby his alma mater to become the sports director at WPTR radio from October 1988 – March 1993.
Randolph Chilldress is former Wake Forest guard as well as former Wake Forest Assistant Coach!
ormer Demon Deacon All-American basketball player and ACC legend Randolph Childress will enter his 10th season with the Wake Forest athletic department and his ninth season as a member of the basketball staff in 2020-21. He is the lone holdover from the Deacs previous coaching staff.
Childress began his tenure on the Demon Deacon basketball staff in 2012-13 as the program's Director of Player Development. After that season, he has been a member of the Deacs coaching staff since.
Childress joined the basketball staff full-time after serving in an administrative role within the athletic department for one year. Childress, who retired from professional basketball in 2011, was previously Assistant to the Athletic Director with roles in compliance, fundraising and student-athlete mentorship. He played an off-the-court mentorship role with the basketball student-athletes during the 2011-12 season before joining the basketball staff full-time.
One of the most iconic players in Demon Deacon history, Childress had a standout career at Wake Forest from 1990-95. He earned All-American honors as a junior in 1994 and again as a senior in 1995. In 1995, Childress was named ACC Tournament MVP after leading the Deacons to their first conference title in 33 years.
Childress is the school's all-time leader in 3-point field goals and ranks sixth in ACC history with 329 3-point field goals made. His 2,208 career points rank second in Wake Forest history and his No. 22 jersey hangs in the rafters of the LJVM Coliseum as one of 11 numbers retired by the basketball program.
After a freshman season where he twice earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors, Childress suffered a serious knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 1991-92 season. He came back to earn All-ACC honors in each of his final three seasons on campus, collecting first team honors in 1994 and 1995.
In 1995, he led the Deacons to their first ACC Tournament title since 1962, earning Tournament MVP honors after hitting the game-winning jumper against North Carolina with four seconds remaining in overtime. Childress ended the 1995 ACC Tournament with a combined 107 points scored, breaking the previous Tournament record which had stood for 38 seasons.
Childress was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and was honored as an ACC Tournament Legend during the 2012 conference tournament in Atlanta.
The Washington, D.C. native played professionally for 16 seasons, including two seasons in the NBA with the Portland Trailblazers and the Detroit Pistons. He was selected in first round of the 1995 NBA Draft by Detroit with the 19th overall selection.
Childress went overseas to continue his basketball career and played two seasons in Turkey and one in France before embarking on an extensive career in Italy that began in 2000. He played for various teams in the Italian league, concluding his career with San Severo in 2010-11.
Childress graduated from Wake Forest in 1995 with a degree in communication. He has two sons, Brandon and Deven, and a daughter, Kayla. Childress and his wife, Tabetha, were married in 2018. Brandon played for the Demon Deacons from 2017-20, scoring 1,415 career points, as Randolph and Brandon are the highest scoring father/son duo in ACC history with 3,623 combined points.
According to https://godeacs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/randolph-childress/662
Though,
First Wofford tips-off their 2026-2027 season on Tuesday against Tennessee in Knoxville Tennessee!