Pitt Survives Past North Carolina, 80-75

It shouldn’t have been this difficult. A 20 point lead with 5 minutes left, Pitt did everything they could do to give the game away but somehow held on to beat #15 North Carolina 80-75 in the 3rd round of the ACC Tourney at the Greensboro Coliseum in the Greensboro, NC.

With relentless pressure in the final minutes, Pitt turned the ball over 6 times and shot less than 50% at the line to allow the Tar Heels to climb within 4 points at the 1:03 mark in which Pitt only led 75-71.

After junior guard Cam Wright missed two free throws with 25 seconds left and the Panthers leading 77-73, Pitt needed North Carolina’s Nate Britt to miss an easy lay-up to seal the 80-75 win.

The story of the game had to have been the play of senior center Talib Zanna (19 points on 8 for 13 shooting from the floor and an incredible 21 rebounds). Zanna was all over the glass with 10 offensive and 11 defensive boards.

Pitt also received contributions for sophomore point guard James Robinson (19 points on 5 for 7 shooting from the field and 8 for 12 from the line) and senior winger Lamar Patterson (12 points on 4 for 11 shooting from the field).

North Carolina was led by guard Marcus Paige (27 points on 9 for 20 shooting and a perfect 5 for 5 from the charity stripe) as well as forwards James Michael McAdoo (15 points on 4 for 13 shooting) and Brice Johnson (16 points on 8 for 9 shooting from the field.).

The Tar Heels shot 41% (25 for 61) from the field as a team and dismal 25% (4 for 16) from behind the arc. This proved to be the difference in the game.

Next up: Semifinal Round, 2014 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament vs Virginia at 1 PM EST on ESPN at the Greensboro Coliseum in the Greensboro, NC. Pitt lost to Virginia earlier this season at home 48-45 on a 3-point buzzer beater shot by Malcolm Brogdon.