This time, the UNC basketball program found a way to come out on top

In what was another nail-biter for the Tar Heels, they found a way to defeat Pittsburgh.
Cal v North Carolina
Cal v North Carolina | Grant Halverson/GettyImages

If you're at a loss of words after that game, it's okay, we are too.

In a game that felt like deja vu from the first meeting between the UNC basketball program and Pittsburgh, the Tar Heels made sure that the final result was different this time around.

North Carolina got off to a scorching hot start offensively, as Ven-Allen Lubin and Seth Trimble carried the load to give the Tar Heels as much as an 11-point lead.

However, just like the first meeting, Pittsburgh found a way to erase the deficit, trailing by a single possession by the time the two teams made their way to the locker room.

The second half was another dog fight between the two squads, as we saw constant lead changes. This game would come down to the closing seconds, but let's talk about how we got to that point first.

With 52 seconds remaining, RJ Davis hit a step-back jumper to give the UNC basketball program a one-point lead. They would get a stop at the other end, one that forced Pittsburgh to foul Lubin to send him to the line for a one-and-one.

However, North Carolina couldn't capitalize at the free throw line.

Lubin missed his first attempt but made a hustle effort on a loose ball that eventually went out of bounds to keep possession in favor of the Tar Heels. Elliot Cadeau would inbound to Seth Trimble who was immediately fouled to stop the clock.

Like Lubin, Trimble couldn't knock down his free throw.

With 13 seconds remaining, Pittsburgh had a chance to win the game. A deflected pass ended up rolling into the backcourt and eventually was knocked out of bounds by Drake Powell, giving Pittsburgh 7.4 seconds to work with. Ishmael Leggett drove up the court but couldn't capitalize on a jumper right before the buzzer, securing a one-point victory for the Tar Heels.

Davis finished with a game-high 18 points, none bigger than his jumper in the final minute of regulation. Lubin had his best outing as a Tar Heel, finishing with 17 points on eight of 12 shooting. Trimble added 15 points of his own while leading the team with seven rebounds.

While it wasn't pretty, it's a game that the UNC basketball program desperately needed to win. We've heard plenty about the struggles North Carolina has had in one possession games, so it's definitely nice to see that the ball bounced in their favor in this one.

Schedule

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