Pitt Falls to 0-3 in ACC Play with Ice-Cold Loss to No. 8 North Carolina, 70-57

PITTSBURGH — Pitt’s hopes of an extended New Year’s Celebration were squashed on Tuesday night, as the Panthers fell to 9-5 (0-3 ACC) on the year with a loss to No. 8 North Carolina in front of a packed home crowd at the Petersen Events Center.

The Panthers got off to a 6-0 lead to open the game, forcing ten-straight Tar Heel misses early and blocking three shots in the first five minutes of play. However, as UNC struggled out of the gates, the Panthers did as well, making just three of their first 12 attempts. After ten minutes of both teams struggling to score, the Panthers led 14-9, as Ishmael Leggett led the team early with four points in that time frame.

Then, Pitt went more than five minutes without scoring, and the Tar Heels crept back into the game with a 12-2 run spanning six-and-a-half minutes. North Carolina’s Seth Trimble stole the show during the run and throughout the rest of the half, scoring a team-high nine points and also grabbing five rebounds in the first frame. With the clock winding down in the first half, Carolina’s leading scorer on the season RJ Davis stepped into his second three pointer of the game, giving his team a three-point advantage at the break.

At the half, Bub Carrington had six points, while Guillermo Diaz-Graham had a team-high seven. Leggett led the rebounding effort with six, while Jaland Lowe came off the bench and hit both of his field goals to finish the half with four points, three rebounds, and two assists. Early on, Pitt held North Carolina star Armando Bacot to just six points and four rebounds in the first half. As a team, the Tar Heels shot just 31% from the field and 25% from three-point range, while the Panthers shot 35% from the field and 14% from three.

To open the second half, Davis picked up just where he left off, draining another three on the wing. Shortly after, the Panthers answered with five quick points from Bub Carrington. However, with additional early layups from Cormac Ryan and Elliot Cadeau, the Tar Heels built their lead up to six points with 17:27 to play.

However, the Tar Heels then went over three minutes without scoring, and Pitt could not capitalize. Davis snapped the scoreless streak with a fadeaway jumper with 13 minutes to play, and the Heels led by six once again. After Jalen Washington hit two free throws, the lead was up to eight with 12:37 to play.

Minutes later, Carrington knocked down a pull-up three to bring the lead back down to six. As the clock ticked down under the ten minute mark, the Panthers hung around with makes from Diaz-Graham and Carrington (free throws). Pitt’s Hinson continued to struggle, missing his first five shots of the half, including four threes.

With 4:25 to go, Lowe hit two more free throws to cut the lead down to six. However, North Carolina made the Panthers pay quickly. First, Stanford transfer Harrison Ingram knocked down a three, followed by yet another Bacot dunk. The lead was 11, and the Panther faithful began to head for the exits.

North Carolina closed out the win, 70-57, behind Davis’ 15 points, Bacot’s 16, and Trimble’s ten. The Tar Heels shot 37% from the field and 29% from three-point range in the win, and dominated the Panthers in the second-chance point category, 15 to one.

Pitt shot an abysmal 31% from the field in the loss, as well as 17% from three-point range. Carrington led the team in scoring with 20 points, while Leggett led with eight rebounds. Lowe scored in double digits for the second time in his young Pitt career — finishing with ten points on 4-for-8 shooting.