North Carolina Snaps Their Three -Game Losing Streak As They Route Pittsburgh
After losing their last three game that included a loss in Blacksburg to Virginia Tech at Cassel Coliseum , a loss at home to NC State and a loss on the road to Clemson at Little John Coliseum North Carolina got back in the win column when they hosted Pittsburgh Saturday night. who is last in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings with a record of 9-15 and 0-11 in the league. "according to http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/conferences/standings/_/id/2/acc-conference
North Carolina finally got its offense — and maybe its confidence — going again. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
Luke Maye scored 26 points to help the 19th-ranked Tar Heels beat Pittsburgh 96-65 on Saturday night, ending their first three-game losing streak in four years. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
"Our guys around here, you lose a couple and the kids start feeling the pressure because they're such good kids," UNC coach Roy Williams said."according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
The response was a positive, if for no other reason than the Tar Heels (17-7, 6-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) had a relatively stress-free night while matching their best scoring output in league play. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
The Tar Heels also shot 51 percent, made 11 3-pointers and dominated the boards (47-28) en route to 22 second-chance points. Maye led six players in double figures, including junior Kenny Williams , who had his best scoring night after several rough games. And Theo Pinson (13 rebounds, eight assists) played a strong floor game. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
In short, they made things look routine against a team that's yet to win an ACC game. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
"We needed tonight," Pinson said. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
UNC found itself in a close game late in the first half before blowing it open with a big run spanning halftime. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
Graduate transfer Cameron Johnson scored eight points against his former team in UNC's 14-3 half-ending flurry, which grew to 25-5 when Joel Berry II hit his fourth 3-pointer for a 56-37 lead with 16:48 left. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
Freshman Marcus Carr scored 22 points for the Panthers (8-16, 0-11), who hit eight first-half 3s to hang around but made 2 of 16 after halftime as the Tar Heels' lead ballooned. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
That sent Pitt to its 11th straight loss, the longest skid in program history."according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
"They played well obviously," Panthers coach Kevin Stallings said. "I didn't think that we did so much, but certainly you have to give them credit. It probably wasn't the most ideal time to catch them." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
BIG PICTURE
Pittsburgh: Things keep getting worse for the Panthers. They entered Chapel Hill ranked last in the league in major categories such as scoring offense, shooting percentage, rebounding margin and turnover margin. Now they've lost 15 straight regular-season ACC games and are approaching a year since their last win. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
"Maybe I'll feel a little differently when I see the film," Stallings said. "But I think we can play better than that." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
UNC: The Tar Heels were facing the possibility of their first four-game losing streak since February 2010, the only one of the Roy Williams era. And the past week in particular had been bumpy: There was an overtime home loss to North Carolina State last weekend and a loss at No. 20 Clemson on Tuesday. This win — a get-right cruise in front of a friendly crowd — might have helped drain a bit of building tension."according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
FAMILIARITY
Pitt initially blocked Johnson's attempt to move to UNC with immediate eligibility, citing an internal policy, before relenting last summer. He finished with 14 points. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
"I tried not to look at this game any different, you know what I mean?" Johnson said. "Obviously you're going to feel some things when you play against your former team. I spent three years there, I grew up in Pittsburgh, my dad played at Pitt, my mom went to nursing school there, and my brother is still doing research for the university, so obviously I have a pretty strong connection there." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
Stallings deflected questions afterward about Johnson."according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
"I don't like to comment on other people's players," he said. "Ask Roy about how he played. I couldn't tell you. I was worried about my guys." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
WILLIAMS' JUMPER
Kenny Williams scored 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including 3 of 5 from behind the arc. He had failed to reach double figures in five of the past six games. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
"I wasn't thinking about the shots," he said. "I was just stepping into it and doing everything that I've worked on."
11th straight loss, the longest skid in program history. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2018/2/3/mens-basketball-tar-heels-run-past-pitt-96-65.aspx?path=mbball
North Carolina will return to the court Thursday when they host their rival Duke who is eight miles down the road in Durham.
Tip-off is set for 8:00pm from the Dean E. Smith Center. The game will be televised on ESPN/ ACC Network. "according to http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=1845&SPSID=22726&DB_OEM_ID=4200&_ga=2.108198538.967752817.1517750097-1561645898.1510411144
Pittsburgh meanwhile will travel to South Carolina to take on Clemson on Thursday.
Tip-off is set for 7:00pm from Little John Coliseum. "according to http://pittsburghpanthers.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball