The Tar Heels posted an important win at Pitt that could result in another game this weekend.
With Carolina moving to 6-3 in the ACC and 11-5 overall, the Heels might be tempted to make the schedule adjustment the ACC is considering. Apparently, there is talk of playing at Syracuse later this week on what is now an idle weekend, which would allow the March 1 date to be filled by Clemson coming to Chapel Hill, a game that was postponed back on January 9.
If that happened, it would give the Tar Heels four straight road games, but winning at Pitt could mitigate that challenge of playing at Clemson next Tuesday and at Duke on February 6.
Carolina was both good and mature against the Panthers, using superior size to take a 16-point lead in the second half and patience to hold off a furious comeback by the home team.
By scoring 48 points in the paint and outrebounding Pitt 37-29, UNC closed out its third straight victory and sixth of the last seven games by shooting 61 percent after leading by seven at the half as it repelled the Panthers’ run against the clock.
Carolina did it with another dominating frontcourt performance led by Armando Bacot and Garrison Brooks who combined for 37 points and 16 rebounds. Day’Ron Sharpe added 6 and 7 for a short-range assault that offset poor 3-point shooting (4-17) and free throwing (7-14).
That determination overcame Pitt’s Justin Champagnie, whose 23 points and 10 rebounds further augured his favored position as ACC Player of the Year.
After the Panthers had it within two possessions, Caleb Love made his only long shot of the game on an open 3-pointer from top of the key and Bacot swished two crucial free throws as Carolina held on to win and give Pitt its second straight loss.
Roy Williams wouldn’t allow that his team has turned the corner but it is “getting a little bit better,” pointing to its positive assist-turnover ratio and the recognition that it could win the game inside if it stayed true to its strategy. Carolina shot 52 percent for the game, but 66 percent on two-pointers.
‘It makes sense,” Williams said, delivering an elemental message about his massive front court, “if you get the shots you can make, you get the ball to the guys who can make them. The easier shots are closer to the basket.”
Frankly, the Tar Heels played like they sort of know they can beat any team on the schedule if they keep doing what they’re supposed to be doing.
So now, it’s on to Syracuse. Maybe.
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There are still concerns with the ill advised turnovers in crucial moments of games. Make good passes not spectacular ones and I bet you will see turnovers go down by at least 20%. When you see a huge comfortable lead shrink to 5 or less then there should have been a timeout called to stop the opposing teams’ momentum. We all know Roy wants to speed things up even more but that also benefits the other team when they are on a roll and we are turning over or just missing shots and then we get on defense and try to double team which more than likely leads to wide open 3’s by our opponents. If Pitt had been hitting we would have been in a real dogfight at the end and we actually weren’t far from that with around 3 minutes left in the game. Part of Roy’s thinking is to run, run, run and try to wear the opposition out but I think he forgot the adrenaline rush the opponents get when they are on a roll which can often help them on offense and defense and that is why a timeout would help us maintain our large lead or any lead for that matter.