The first exhibition gave us our introduction to the Michael Malone era in Chapel Hill.
Now, it's time to see what they've learned from it as they take the court for the second time this preseason on Sunday night.
UNC's 88-70 win over USC offered plenty of reasons to be excited, from Jarin Stevenson's dominant performance to Maximo Adams making an immediate impact off the bench. However, it also exposed some areas that still need work, which is exactly what these preseason games are designed to do.
Sunday's matchup with Indiana isn't simply about whether the Tar Heels leave with another exhibition victory: it's about progress leading up to the season opener on November 2.
With the regular season rapidly approaching, here are five things we'll be watching closely as the Tar Heels take the floor against the Hoosiers.
Can Terrence Brown and Matt Able bounce back?
There was plenty to like about UNC's first exhibition showing against USC, but Terrence Brown and Matt Able weren't among the Tar Heels who had their best nights.
That's not necessarily a major concern. It's October; the games don't count yet, and the whole point of playing three exhibitions is to give Michael Malone and his staff a chance to identify what needs improvement before the regular season starts.
Still, the matchup with Indiana provides both Brown and Able with an immediate opportunity to respond.
Both players are expected to play a major role for UNC this season, so their preseason development is worth monitoring. After relatively quiet performances against USC, we'll be watching to see whether either player can settle in and make a much bigger impact against the Hoosiers.
Fans shouldn't be writing either player off after one exhibition game. This whole process, bringing in a new coach and a brand-new roster, will take time to gel, and Brown and Able will start to show what they can do.
On Sunday night, Tar Heel fans are hopeful that both players take a positive step in the right direction.
Can UNC clean up the turnovers?
If there was one glaring issue from UNC's victory over USC, it was the turnovers.
The Tar Heels coughed up the ball 18 times in their first exhibition, something Michael Malone undoubtedly wants to see cleaned up as the regular season approaches.
Considering the amount of roster turnover and the implementation of an entirely new system, some early growing pains were always going to be expected. Still, taking better care of the basketball is one of the easiest ways for UNC to show tangible progress from its first exhibition to its second.
Reducing mistakes will be important for this team. Now, with a game under their belts, it will be interesting to see if the Tar Heels play a much cleaner brand of basketball in their second preseason outing.
What does Jarin Stevenson do for an encore?
If anyone made a statement in UNC's first exhibition game, it was Jarin Stevenson.
Stevenson was outstanding against USC, scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, looking every bit the player ready to take on a much larger role this season.
Now comes the encore.
Nobody should expect Stevenson to produce 25 and 10 every time he steps onto the floor, especially during the preseason. What will be worth watching is whether the same level of aggression carries over against Indiana.
Is North Carolina deliberately looking to get Stevenson involved offensively? Does he continue hunting his shot? Can he consistently impact the game on the glass?
The Tar Heels need players to emerge as go-to options within Malone's offense, and Stevenson's first exhibition performance suggests he's ready to take that next step to become one of those guys.
How does UNC's frontcourt handle Indiana's size?
Indiana should provide North Carolina's frontcourt with a very different challenge.
The Hoosiers dominated the glass in their exhibition victory over Butler, creating an intriguing test for Sayon Keita and the rest of the Tar Heels' big men.
Keita had some good moments against USC but also showed that there's still plenty of room for growth. Facing Indiana's physical frontcourt should give us another chance to see where he stands.
It could also force Malone to experiment.
Does Alex Samodurov receive more minutes? Could Maximo Adams see some time in smaller lineups? How does North Carolina hold up on the defensive glass? How does UNC handle foul trouble if they get into it?
Without Cameron Fens, who remains ineligible, we will get our first realistic look at how UNC will handle facing larger frontcourt.
What does Michael Malone's rotation tell us this time?
This might be the most fascinating storyline of the entire preseason.
Malone wasn't shy about using his bench against USC, giving plenty of Tar Heels an opportunity to show what they could do. That's exactly what you'd expect during an exhibition, especially with a roster featuring so many new pieces.
In fact, Malone used 24 different lineup combinations against USC. With the regular season quickly approaching, we likely won't see as many lineups on the court against the Hoosiers, and the rotation could even shrink, giving us a better sense of what the Tar Heels' regular rotation could look like come opening night.
The preseason is a learning experience for us all, especially with a new regime at the helm. This exhibition should feel more like a regular-season game and will tell us a lot about this UNC team as they inch closer to the start of the 2026-2027 college basketball season.
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