The Tar Heels will win Saturday at Pitt. I almost guarantee it.

By the law of averages alone, Carolina has to win a game one of these days – and I think it will be at Pitt. That prediction comes with a big asterisk for Brandon Robinson, who was in a car accident Saturday night after the Clemson collapse.

Robinson has to play for the Heels to win, because he has averaged 18 points in the last four games and jumped among the ACC leaders with 20 treys in the last five games. He has become UNC’s top scorer in Cole Anthony’s absence and the best shooter on an otherwise frigid team.

I base my prediction on the first game against Pitt, when Brooks and Bacot combined for 36 points and 19 rebounds and B-Rob had 13 points, hitting 3 of 9 three-pointers. The Panthers erased a nine-point halftime deficit with red-hot shooting from the arc, making 7 of 12 after missing 10 of 11 in the first half.

Pitt got eight triples in 15 attempts from two players who don’t normally shoot anywhere close to that percentage. The Heels swamped Pitt on the boards and offensive glass, two advantages they should be able to gain again in the rematch up there. And, surely, they will shoot better than 10-for-17 at the foul line this time.

Look, even the worst-shooting teams get hot once in a while and make everything they throw up. Not sure Carolina will do exactly that, but no reason why our big guys won’t dominate their big guys again. The court is still the same size and the baskets still 10 feet tall. And they are certainly due.

Sooner or later, Ol’ Roy’s boys will put it all together and play winning basketball. They did for about 38 minutes against Clemson before fritting away their third straight loss at home.

That dubious distinction certainly got their attention in practice this week, and you know the coach didn’t let them feel sorry for themselves.

So that’s why I promise you they will bring home a win. As long as B-Rob plays or unless he does so with his right arm in a sling.

Photo by Todd Melet.

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