Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels suffer devastating loss to Pitt

By Zack Pearson

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 16: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels battles Jamarius Burton #11 of the Pittsburgh Panthers for a rebound during the first half of their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on February 16, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 16: Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels battles Jamarius Burton #11 of the Pittsburgh Panthers for a rebound during the first half of their game at the Dean E. Smith Center on February 16, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The UNC basketball program appeared to have gotten themselves off the bubble with wins over Clemson and Florida State last week. But on Wednesday night, their tournament hopes took a major blow at the hands of Pitt.

Final. 76. 444. 67. 441

The Panthers came into the Dean Dome and built a double-digit lead in the first half en route to a 76-67 win over North Carolina that is going to be a glaring one on their resume. Without a Quad 1 win so far, North Carolina has now suffered their first Quad 4 loss of the season at the wrong time.

After UNC jumped out to a 5-0 lead to start the game, Pitt went on a 21-2 run to grab the lead and never look back.

Backed behind Ithiel Horton who scored 19 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, Pitt was able to extend their lead to as many as 21 in the second half. They were dominating the Tar Heels on both ends of the floor, shooting 51 percent from the field including 58.8 percent from the three-point line. Meanwhile, UNC struggled to make anything as they shot just 41 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from the three-point line.

At one point in the second half, Caleb Love and R.J. Davis combined to have just four points before a late outburst from Love. The Tar Heels didn’t give up however and fought back late in the second half, cutting the lead down to six with just over a minute to go. They even had a steal on the inbounds play before turning it over.

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From there, Pitt sunk their free throws and the run was over. The Panthers did a great job in the paint backed by 18 points from John Hugley and 11 from Mouhamadou Gueye. UNC never got anything going offensively and everyone struggled. Armando Bacot had just seven points on 2 of 6 from the field as he was bothered all game long.

This is a tough one for the Tar Heels especially with a huge game on Saturday looming at Virginia Tech, a team that has won six-straight games. It will be another chance for a Quad 1 win for UNC but it won’t be easy. And losing this one could be the big nail in the coffin for the Tar Heels’ tournament hopes.

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