Memphis basketball vs UNC: Final score, highlights from charity exhibition

Seth Trimble gave North Carolina 33 points and the Tar Heels gave Memphis basketball a 84-76 loss Tuesday in preseason charity exhibition action at FedExForum.

Penny Hardaway’s Tigers − which are returning just one scholarship player from the 2023-24 season − controlled the majority of the first half and took a 33-31 lead into the break. But the Tar Heels (ranked No. 9 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25) made key adjustments and led by as many as 15 points in the second half.

Memphis battled back late, cutting it to a 6-point deficit with under two minutes left in the game. But North Carolina (playing without its consensus All-American guard RJ Davis) held on to win.

PJ Haggerty led the Tigers with 24 points and nine rebounds. Colby Rogers and Nicholas Jourdain gave the home team 11 apiece.

Memphis has one more exhibition game left (vs. Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama on Oct. 28) before opening the regular season at home against Missouri (Nov. 4).

Memphis basketball live score updates vs. UNC

Turnovers in droves for Memphis basketball

The Tigers have made life easier on North Carolina in the second half, committing 12 turnovers in less than 17 minutes. That’s compared to just seven turnovers in the entire first half.

UNC has taken advantage, converting those turnovers into 14 points since halftime. The Tar Heels, which led by as many as 15 points in the second half, are up 78-69 with 3:45 left in the game.

North Carolina picking up steam

The Tar Heels came out of halftime hot, shooting better than 50% from the floor through the first 12 minutes of the second half, to build a 59-49 lead.

Seth Trimble is up to 22 points for the visitors. His regular-season career-high is 12 points.

Penny Hardaway’s Tigers leading UNC at halftime

Memphis carried a 39-36 lead into halftime, despite being outshot from the field 45% to 35%. PJ Haggerty’s nine points is pacing the Tigers.

Nine Tigers have scored at least 1 point in the first half.

Seth Trimble’s 14 points leads the Tar Heels at intermission.

Tee Morant, GG Jackson, Armando Bacot on hand

Among those in attendance at FedExForum tonight are Tee Morant (Ja Morant’s father), and Memphis Grizzlies players GG Jackson and Armando Bacot. Jackson played collegiately at South Carolina, while Bacot was a superstar at North Carolina.

Memphis basketball cools, UNC climbs back into it

After taking a 27-16 lead, the Tigers have cooled off offensively. They were three for their next 10 from the field, while the Tar Heels were 6-of-10 during the same span to cut the Tigers’ lead to 33-31.

PJ Haggerty and Co.

At the under 12 media timeout in the first half, the Tigers lead North Carolina 19-13. PJ Haggerty has 6 points, while Tyreek Smith and Nicholas Jourdain have 4 each.

Memphis has taken care of the ball nicely with just one turnover so far. The Tigers have created five turnovers and turned them into five points.

Baraka Okojie in action for Memphis basketball

The Tigers’ backup guard, Baraka Okojie, missed the entirety of summer workouts with a left shoulder injury that required surgery.

Okojie entered the game after the first media timeout, and contributed two rebounds and a steal with a couple of minutes.

Seth Trimble, PJ Haggerty and a seesaw battle early

The Tigers controlled the opening tip, methodically worked the ball inside to center Dain Dainja, who got the first points with a layup off the glass.

The Tar Heels responded with a 7-0 run, with Seth Trimble scoring 5 of those points.

Memphis battled back after that, cutting the lead to 11-10 at the first media timeout.

Memphis basketball, UNC starting lineups

Tigers: Tyrese Hunter, PJ Haggerty, Colby Rogers, Nicholas Jourdain, Dain Dainja

Tar Heels: Elliot Cadeau, Seth Trimble, Cade Tyson, Jae’Lyn Withers, Jalen Washington

UNC’s RJ Davis, Memphis’ Moussa Cisse out

North Carolina’s All-American point guard RJ Davis will not play in Tuesday’s exhibition game against Memphis, a Tar Heels spokesperson confirmed to The Commercial Appeal. He left the program’s Blue-White Scrimmage last week with a lower back injury. The spokesperson said the decision is strictly precautionary.

Memphis center Moussa Cisse will also be sidelined Tuesday. Hardaway said last week that Cisse was recovering from a groin injury.

What channel is Memphis basketball vs. North Carolina on today?

TV: ESPNU

Memphis vs. North Carolina will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Memphis basketball vs. UNC scheduled start time

• Tuesday, Oct. 15

• 6 p.m. CT

2024-25 Memphis men’s basketball schedule

Tipoff times not yet set (unless otherwise noted)

• Oct. 15: vs. North Carolina (6 p.m., ESPNU, Hoops For St. Jude Tip Off Classic exhibition game at FedExForum)

• Oct. 28: vs. Alabama (7 p.m., ESPN+, Rocket City Classic exhibition game in Huntsville)

• Nov. 4: vs. Missouri (FedExForum)

• Nov. 9: at UNLV

• Nov. 15: vs. Ohio (FedExForum)

• Nov. 21: vs. San Francisco (at Chase Center in San Francisco)

• Nov. 25: vs. UConn (1:30 p.m., CT, Maui Invitational, ESPN2)

• Nov. 26: vs. either Michigan State or Colorado (Maui Invitational)

• Nov. 27: vs. North Carolina, Iowa State, Auburn or Dayton (Maui Invitational)

• Dec. 4: vs. Louisiana Tech (FedExForum)

• Dec. 8: vs. Arkansas State (FedExForum)

• Dec. 14: at Clemson (10 a.m.)

• Dec. 18: at Virginia (6 p.m.)

• Dec. 21: vs. Mississippi State (FedExForum)

• Dec. 28: vs. Ole Miss (FedExForum)

• Jan. 2: at FAU

• Jan. 5: vs. North Texas (FedExForum)

• Jan. 11: vs. East Carolina (FedExForum)

• Jan. 16: at Temple

• Jan. 19: at Charlotte

• Jan. 23: vs. Wichita State (FedExForum)

• Jan. 26: vs. UAB (FedExForum)

• Jan. 30: at Tulane

• Feb. 2: at Rice

• Feb. 5: vs. Tulsa (FedExForum)

• Feb. 9: vs. Temple (FedExForum

• Feb. 13: at South Florida

• Feb. 16: at Wichita State

• Feb. 23: vs. FAU (FedExForum)

• Feb. 26: vs. Rice (FedExForum)

• March 2: at UAB

• March 4: at UTSA

• March 7: vs. South Florida (FedExForum)

Memphis basketball news

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or follow him @munzly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis basketball vs UNC: Final score, highlights from exhibition