North Carolina fans not only saw their Tar Heels fade down the stretch at Pitt but must be feeling that the season is fading away after the Panthers went on a 9-0 run to complete their 73-65 victory. (1/28)
The Tar Heels led all but a few seconds of the first half, shooting 58 percent, and working the lead up to as many as 10 points before going into the half with a mere 44-42 lead. Carolina led 44-34 with 2:10 left in the half but, perhaps as a preview of the end of the game, gave up eight straight points to let Pitt back in it.
In a game of runs where the Tar Heels’ offense disappeared for three or four minutes at a time, Carolina blew a 49-42 lead as BC scored eight straight to go ahead 50-49.
It went back and forth the rest of the way – well almost the rest of the way. Carolina took a 65-64 lead on a scoop shot high off the backboard by Eliot Cadeau with just 3:20 to go. But the Tar Heels never scored again.
Just as it looked as if Carolina would extend the lead as Ven-Allen Lubin broke free to the basket, Cadeau’s pass was low and Lubin developed stone hands and Pitt came up with the loose ball. Seconds later, Pitt’s Zack Austin sidestepped Cadeau and drilled a three from in front of the Panthers’ bench for a 67-65 Pitt lead.
A lay up by Lubin that would have tied it rimmed out and a shot by Ian Jackson that could have give the Heels the lead was blockd by Austin. After Cam Cohren scored in the lane for Pitt for a 69-65 advantage with a minute to go, the drained Tar Heels never really threatened again.
“We missed three or four layins and other shots around the rim that didn’t go that would have tied it or put us up,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “Turnovers were costly. The timing of the turnovers was costly and their conversion of the turnovers was costly. It’s very difficult to overcome something like that.”
Carolina’s 21 pints in the second half was the lowest scoring period of the year for the Tar Heels. Key stats include the Tar Heels’ 14 turnovers compared to just six for Pitt and the Panthers’ nine blocks and eight steals. Pitt scored 22 points off those Carolina turnovers.
With Carolina’s Jalen Washington sitting out due to a leg injury suffered at the end of the previous game, Lubin played 32 minutes which is almost double his season average and he looked tired down the stretch. Only six Tar Heels had over four minutes of playing time but that was true of the Panthers as well.
The Tar Heels’ shooting percentage plummeted to 31 percent in the second half. Seth Trimble scored 10 points and hauled in 12 rebounds for a double-double despite missing all five of his three-point attempts. RJ Davis led the scoring with 16 points, hitting half of his attempts. Cadeau was the only other Heel in double figures with 11 points but he was in foul trouble much of the game and turned the ball over four times while missing five of his six three-point attempts.
The Tar Heels, who play at rival Duke Saturday evening, are now 13-9 overall and 6-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Jaland Lowe led four Panthers in double figures with 18 points as Pitt, which gets another crack at Carolina Feb. 8, improves to 14-6 and 5-4 in the league.
Hubert has got to go and go now! He is horrible in developing players and execution down the stretch. He has ruined the program!