Friday night brings another opportunity to get an early look at some of college basketball's most interesting teams. And the biggest storyline involves a familiar face making his debut in an unfamiliar setting.
Michael Malone will coach his first game at North Carolina when the Tar Heels face USC in Greensboro. The matchup also features USC coach Eric Musselman, creating a fascinating meeting between two coaches with NBA experience.
Meanwhile, Nebraska hosts Saint Louis in a matchup between programs that reached the NCAA Tournament last season.
Virginia also returns to the court, welcoming Richmond to Charlottesville for an exhibition that should provide another opportunity to evaluate Ryan Odom's team.
Three games are scheduled for Friday, October 9.
Here's everything fans need to know.
Friday, October 9 college basketball exhibition schedule
USC vs. North Carolina
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: First Horizon Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina
TV: ACC Network
Richmond at Virginia
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Virginia
TV/Streaming: Not televised or streamed
Saint Louis at Nebraska
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska
Streaming: B1G+ and the Big Ten Conference's YouTube channel
Radio: Huskers Radio Network
North Carolina vs. USC: Michael Malone makes his debut
The most anticipated exhibition of the night takes place in Greensboro. North Carolina begins a new era under Malone, the former Denver Nuggets coach who led Denver to the 2023 NBA championship.
Now he takes over one of college basketball's most recognizable programs. The Tar Heels have undergone significant roster changes, returning only one starter from last season's team.
Senior forward Jarin Stevenson provides an important returning presence, but Malone must integrate 11 newcomers into a new system.
That makes Friday's game particularly interesting.
Exhibition results don't count toward regular-season records, but they can reveal how quickly a team is developing chemistry.
USC presents a challenging opponent. Musselman's Trojans have their own intriguing collection of talent, including returning guard Rodney Rice and sophomore Alijah Arenas.
Rice averaged 20.3 points and six assists in six games last season before a shoulder injury ended his year.
Arenas averaged 14.1 points during an injury-disrupted freshman campaign and now enters his first full season with the Trojans.
The matchup also features an unusual coaching connection. Both Malone and Musselman have worked as NBA head coaches, and both are sons of former NBA coaches.
The game tips off at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
Saint Louis vs. Nebraska: Two NCAA Tournament teams meet in Lincoln
Nebraska's first exhibition comes against an opponent that should provide a meaningful early challenge. Saint Louis visits Pinnacle Bank Arena after both programs reached the NCAA Tournament last season.
The Cornhuskers are coming off one of the best seasons in school history. Fred Hoiberg guided Nebraska to its first NCAA Tournament victories and a Sweet 16 appearance.
Now the challenge is building on that success.
Pryce Sandfort returns after averaging 18.1 points last season and establishing himself as one of the Big Ten's most dangerous perimeter shooters.
Saint Louis also enters the season with considerable expectations. Josh Schertz has developed the Billikens into one of the Atlantic 10's premier programs, although replacing Robbie Avila creates an important challenge.
TODAY'S NOTABLE EXHIBITION GAMES:
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 9, 2026
USC/North Carolina (Greensboro)
Richmond at Virginia
Saint Louis at Nebraska
Returning guard Trey Green provides an outstanding shooting threat after connecting on 44.2 percent of his three-point attempts last season.
Friday's matchup should offer both coaching staffs an opportunity to evaluate their rotations against quality competition.
The game begins at approximately 8 p.m. ET.
Fans can watch on B1G+. Nebraska also announced that the exhibition will be available free through the Big Ten Conference's YouTube channel as part of its B1G+ Free Friday promotion.
The Huskers Radio Network will provide radio coverage.
Richmond vs. Virginia: Ryan Odom gets another preseason test
Virginia's exhibition schedule continues Friday when Richmond visits John Paul Jones Arena. The Cavaliers already played Vanderbilt in a September exhibition, falling 82-73.
That result won't affect Virginia's regular-season record, but it provided an early opportunity to evaluate the team against quality competition.
Odom has several important returning players, including Thijs De Ridder, Johann Grünloh and Chance Mallory.
De Ridder emerged as one of the ACC's most productive forwards last season, while Grünloh provides important size and rim protection.
Mallory is expected to assume a larger role in the backcourt.
Friday's game should provide another opportunity to examine Virginia's offensive spacing, defensive communication and lineup combinations.
Richmond also gets a valuable test against an ACC opponent before the regular season begins.
The exhibition starts at 7 p.m. ET.
Virginia confirmed that the game will not be televised or streamed. Fans can follow live statistics through the school's athletics website.
What's next on the college basketball exhibition schedule?
Saturday, October 10, brings another group of exhibition games.
Wisconsin hosts Wisconsin-Parkside, Utah State welcomes Denver and Boise State faces Idaho.
Mississippi State and Florida State also meet in Pensacola, Florida.
Those games will provide another early look at programs preparing for the 2026-27 regular season.
But Friday belongs to North Carolina, USC, Nebraska, Saint Louis, Virginia and Richmond.
Three games. Three intriguing matchups.
And another opportunity to learn something about college basketball teams before the games begin counting in November.
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