A nine-point lead in the second half went up in smoke for the UNC men’s basketball team Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh, as the Panthers used a 31-point explosion from Jamarius Burton and a Tar Heel cold spell to spring the upset, 76-74. It’s UNC’s second consecutive loss to the Panthers.

Burton, the only Panther starter to play in Pitt’s win in Chapel Hill last season, made 14 of 17 shots while also ripping down six rebounds in the win. No other Panther player had more than 16 points. For the Tar Heels, Armando Bacot contributed 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, securing his 57th career double-double, three off tying the school record. R.J. Davis and Pete Nance both also reached double figures, but Caleb Love managed just seven points on nine shots and committed a critical turnover with 1:04 remaining and Carolina trailing by three points.

After going down 55-46, Pittsburgh outscored the Tar Heels 24-12 to take that three-point lead before Love’s turnover. A Pete Nance jumper with with 9:39 left in the second half served as UNC’s last made field goal until six seconds remained on the clock. The Tar Heels shot 51.6 percent in the first half, but just 33.3 percent in the second. Pitt, meanwhile, improved from 41.9 percent in the first half to 50 percent in the second. Despite Bacot’s strong performance, the Panthers outscored Carolina 42-26 in the paint.

The loss drops UNC to 0-3 in true road games this season. That’s already as many road losses as the Tar Heels had all of last season. At just 1-2 the ACC, this also marks the first time Carolina has had a losing record in conference play through multiple games under head coach Hubert Davis.

Now 9-5 with its four-game winning streak snapped, Carolina will return home to the Smith Center to host Wake Forest at 9 p.m. on January 4.

 

Featured image via UNC Basketball on Twitter

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: Newest 5-Star
The buzz is slowly growing about UNC freshman Caleb Wilson, who is a consensus top 10 recruit from the high school class of 2025.
Chansky's Notebook: Draft Crush
UNC joins Michigan and Arizona as the three schools to have at least one athlete picked in the first round of the NFL, NBA and MLB drafts.
Chansky's Notebook: The Second
Bill Chamberlain, who died recently at age 75, was the second African-American scholarship player under UNC head coach Dean Smith.
Check Out the Complete Schedule for UNC's 'ACC Network Takeover' July 8
The ACC Network will feature 24 hours of Tar Heel highlights from the 2024-25 athletic year Tuesday as part of its annual “ACC Network Takeover.” Programming begins at midnight and lasts through 11:59 p.m. Featured games include the women’s basketball team’s win against No. 10 NC State at Carmichael Arena back in February. Those who […]
‘It’s a Grief Project’: Author Ron Smith Details UNC Basketball History Books
When Ron Smith walked into UNC’s Wilson Library, he wasn’t looking for a passion project. He was looking for a distraction.
Chansky's Notebook: Thinking Outside the Shoe Box
Art Chansky ponders the possibility of an even more lucrative partnership between Michael Jordan and UNC men's basketball.
UNC's R.J. Davis Signs Free Agent Contract with Los Angeles Lakers
R.J. Davis is headed out west. The former UNC All-American, who spent five memorable seasons in Chapel Hill, signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers late Thursday night. RJ is headed to LA 📍 @ariidavis_ #CarolinaFamily | #ProHeels pic.twitter.com/pMxCwcDS9t — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) June 27, 2025 Davis is UNC’s all-time leader in both […]
UNC Men's Basketball Reveals Non-Conference Schedule for 2025-26 Season
The UNC men’s basketball program revealed the non-conference portion of its 2025-26 regular-season schedule Friday morning. 2025-26 Non-Conference Schedule 🗓️ 🔗 https://t.co/VGOa7TbBKJ pic.twitter.com/UIl1YSS8DY — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) June 27, 2025 As usual, the Tar Heels will begin their season with an exhibition game at the Smith Center, as Division 2 foe Winston-Salem State visits October […]
Chansky's Notebook: Fabulous Phil
Even after all these years, UNC legend Phil Ford is still the most famous basketball player in North Carolina.
UNC's Drake Powell Headed to Brooklyn Nets in 2025 NBA Draft
Drake Powell is league-bound. The former Tar Heel standout, who spent his lone college season with UNC, was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft Wednesday night. However, due to a three-team trade between the Hawks, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, Powell […]
›