UNC Basketball vs. Pittsburgh: Game preview, info, prediction and more

It was a fun day for the UNC basketball program on Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill, as they dismantled the banged-up Florida Seminoles en route to a 20-point victory.

Although it was enjoyable to say the least, it’s time to turn our attention toward the Tar Heels’ final six games of the regular season. Their ACC play will continue on Wednesday night, as they’ll host the Pittsburgh Panthers in what yet again should be a favorable matchup for the Tar Heels on their home court.

It simply has not been a memorable year for Jeff Capel’s team, as they’ve struggled to find any type of consistency. Since the new calendar year, the Panthers are just 5-8 in ACC play, which is why they are in the bottom half of the league’s standings at this point.

Pittsburgh has lost four of its last six games but is currently riding a two-game winning streak. After suffering losses to Boston College, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech (twice), the Panthers have responded with victories against Florida State and NC State. The Panthers’ win against the Seminoles snapped an ACC road losing streak that lasted over a year.

Even though they’ve been playing better of late, the Tar Heels should be considered heavy favorites in this one. It’s important that Hubert Davis and his team do not take this game lightly, as they need to continue capitalizing on the games in which they are supposed to win.

Key to Victory

The UNC basketball program has a definite size advantage down low in this game, so it should be expected that Armando Bacot and Brady Manek will see a lot of touches early and often. However, the big key to victory comes beyond the three-point line, where the Tar Heels have a very big advantage.

Pittsburgh is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country, as they currently rank 247th in the country at 32.1 percent. On the other hand, North Carolina is one of the best three-point shooting teams in the land, ranking ninth overall with their 38.1 percent clip.

If the Tar Heels shoot the basketball the way they are capable of, it will be very tough for Pittsburgh to keep up in this one. Knocking down shots early on in this game could quickly put the pressure on the visiting Panthers, so getting off to a fast start (just like they did against Florida State) could possibly serve as an early knockout punch.

Something to Watch

Hubert Davis’ use of his bench during his first season at the helm has been very unpredictable. Without the likes of Anthony Harris and Dawson Garcia, we’ve seen Davis mix-and-match with his role players, as there hasn’t been a set rotation that has been utilized.

On Saturday, Dontrez Styles was the first Tar Heel off the bench, as the freshman logged a career-high 16 minutes. He provided a nice spark for the Tar Heels and scored a season-best eight points in the process.

Styles has been gaining momentum recently, and the current trend seems to be favoring him earning more of a significant role with the team. If you like to bet, we’d encourage you not to place a wager on who the first Tar Heel off the bench will be, but Styles’ role is definitely something to keep an eye on over the next few games.

Last Meeting

North Carolina defeated Pittsburgh 75-65 in their last matchup on January 26, 2021. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak to the Panthers, who beat the Tar Heels twice in a span of 10 days during the 2019-2020 season.

Armando Bacot led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while fellow big man Garrison Brooks also contributed 16 points in the win. Kerwin Walton was the only other Tar Heel in double-figures, as he scored 10 points and connected on 4-of-8 shot attempts.

Projected Starters

No. 4 R.J. Davis (So., 6-0, 175) – 13.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.5 apg
No. 2 Caleb Love (So., 6-4, 195) – 14.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.7 apg
No. 1 Leaky Black (Sr., 6-8 200) – 4.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.5 apg
No. 45 Brady Manek (So. 6-9, 230) – 13.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.6 apg
No. 5 Armando Bacot (Jr., 6-10, 240) – 16.6 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 1.6 bpg

What to watch for

WHAT?  North Carolina Tar Heels  (18-7, 10-4 ACC) vs. Pittsburgh Panthers (10-16, 5-10 ACC)
WHEN? Wednesday, February 16- 8:00 p.m. EST
WHERE? Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TV? ACC Network
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
LAST MEETING? UNC defeated Pittsburgh 75-65 on January 26, 2021
ALL-TIME SERIES? UNC leads all-time 15-4
PREDICTION? UNC 77-64

For more on the UNC basketball program’s upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Panthers, check back with the Keeping It Heel team.