Pittsburgh shot a blistering 65 percent to handle North Carolina 89-76. The Panthers were just too hot for a Tar Heels team that has lost three of four and has been grieving the loss of former Coach Dean Smith, who was buried two days earlier. (2/14)

North Carolina outrebounded Pitt, turned the ball over only four times and shot nearly 50 percent.

“Looking at that you would think that would be a win for us,” UNC coach Roy Williams said.

But the Panthers jumped out to a 10-0 lead and, despite the fact that the Tar Heels managed to tie it on a three by Marcus Paige to make it 16-16, led the Tar Heels 46-32 at the half.

Pitt shot 61 percent in the first half and conventional wisdom says the Panthers would cool down in the second half. It was just the opposite.

“I still thought it was any man’s game (at the half),” Williams said, “but then they hit their first seven shots (of the second half).”

For a while the Tar Heels were matching the Panthers basket for basket but still falling more and more behind because Pitt was hitting threes. The Panthers hit eight of 15 from beyond the arc.

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